A Tale of Two Mothers #17
by KaitlynRose
Summary: Okay, I have written the ultimate ELF I think. I broke down crying three times while writing the story. You'll have to read it for yourself to see what it's about. I hope you like it.


I do not own seaQuest or any of it's characters. I am not profiting from this story, it is for   
entertainment purposes only.  
  
I hope you will forgive me for any errors or mistakes that I may have made. I'm not a police officer so I   
may have made errors in regards to them. Also I used something called a Search and Rescue Team. I don't know   
if that really exists, but for the purpose of this story it does.  
  
A Tale of Two Mothers  
By: Kaitlyn Rose  
  
She walked slowly down the stark corridor, following the yellow line, like the guard had told her.   
The place smelled of powerful disinfectant and bleach. The room had obviously just been cleaned, but the   
stench only added to the overall disgustingness of the place.  
  
She sat down at the table, careful not to touch anything. 'God, how can he stand it in here?' she   
thought to herself. She almost felt sorry for him. Almost. After all, it was all his fault that this had   
happened. She wasn't upset by what he had done as much as the fact that he had allowed himself to be   
caught doing it. She looked up as a prison guard stepped into the room, followed by the person she was   
here to see.  
  
He walked over and sat down in the chair on the other side of the table.  
  
"Well, Cynthia, to what do I owe the pleasure," Lawrence Wolenczak asked.  
  
"You know full well why I'm here," she replied. "Why did you stop sending my alimony   
payments?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because I'm broke," he told her.  
  
"I don't believe that for a minute. You have plenty of money. I want you to call your lawyer and   
start sending me my money immediately." She couldn't believe he had had the audacity to cut her off.   
  
How the hell was she supposed to be a socialite and circulate among society if she was broke and about to   
lose her house. She didn't even think she would have enough money to tour Europe this year.  
  
"I'm sorry to tell you, darling, but your days of easy living have come to an end," Lawrence said.  
  
"Just what the hell does that mean?"  
  
"It means that I'm spending a fortune trying to get myself out of here. It's not cheap to pay three   
attorneys to work around the clock. It's not like the UEO is paying me anymore. It looks like you're going   
to have to go get a job."  
  
"This is ridiculous. I know you, Lawrence. What did you do? Hide the money in foreign   
accounts. Put it in your friends names. I swear, I'll hire a lawyer and take you to court if I have to."  
  
"Gee, Cynthia, what will you do? Put me in jail? It's a bit late for that!"  
  
""I'm serious. I'm almost broke! If I don't get some money soon I'm going to lose the house,"   
Cynthia complained.  
  
"Gee, sorry. You could always come stay here," Lawrence said sarcastically.  
  
"Will you be serious!"  
  
"I am being serious. You're here bitching about being broke. I spend my day sitting in a cell   
that's about eight square feet. You'll forgive me if I don't feel your pain."  
  
"What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to live?"  
  
"I don't know. You're the idiot who gave up your meal ticket."  
  
"Just what the hell does that mean?" Cynthia demanded.  
  
"Hello? Remember Lucas. The boy wonder himself. The child that you oh so happily signed   
over to Captain Bridger. If you had simply kept him and put him to work you'd be raking in the money   
right now. Oh, but that's right, you were too busy to be bothered."  
  
"It wasn't like that," Cynthia protested. "It's your fault. You ruined the family name, and Bridger   
threatened to drag me to court if I fought the adoption. I wasn't about to be dragged through the mud. The   
humiliation you caused me was more than enough. Half our old friends won't even speak to me now."  
  
"So you let that bastard who ruined our lives have our son. God you are so stupid!"  
  
"I didn't have a choice," she said again. "If you had simply been more discrete none of this would   
have happened."  
  
"Well, there might just be a way for you to get your money," Lawrence said.  
  
"How?"  
  
"Get Lucas back. Take Bridger to court and get him back."  
  
"And why would I do that? The chances of me winning are next to none. All that's going to   
happen is I'll use what little money I have left on legal fees."  
  
"I'll pay the legal fees. I even have a lawyer for you to use."  
  
"I thought you were broke?" Cynthia snapped.  
  
"On paper I am," Lawrence said, "but I still have access to plenty of money. Only, you'll never   
get your grubby little hands on it unless you do what I ask."  
  
"Lawrence, don't play games with me."  
  
"Oh, but games are all I have left to play. You see, I may be miserable stuck in here, but I am   
going to make a few other people just as miserable."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Simple, you are going to help me get even with Bridger and our dear son, in return, I'll begin   
paying the mortgage along with your alimony once again."  
  
Cynthia thought for a moment. She didn't like this. She didn't like it at all, but she knew that if   
she didn't cooperate that Lawrence would cut her off completely and leave her destitute. Damn, once again   
she was at his control.  
  
"What do you want me to do?"  
  
Lawrence smiled evilly at her. He had her right where he wanted.  
  
___________________________________________  
  
  
  
Kristin looked out at the dock to see Lucas sitting on the edge talking to Darwin. She smiled as   
she saw the dolphin fly up out of the water and land with a giant splash. She turned back to the stove and   
stirred the pasta sauce before it had a chance to bubble and splatter. She grabbed the bag of frozen garlic   
bread from the freezer and set the over to preheat. Nathan should be back any second from his meeting   
with Bill Noyce.   
  
Nathan refused to talk about it with her or Lucas, but she knew that General Pulaski was giving   
him a hard time. 'The man sure knew how to carry a grudge,' she thought to herself.   
  
She heard a car pull up and she looked out the window expecting to see Nathan, instead she saw a   
black limo parked in the driveway. She watched as a small blond woman got out. The woman looked   
familiar to her but she couldn't quite place it. She started to walk to the front door to greet her. She was   
surprised as she opened the screen door to see that the woman wasn't coming to the house, but heading   
towards the dock instead.  
  
Kristin saw Lucas stand up suddenly. He looked afraid. Suddenly Kristin knew who the woman   
was. She was looking at Cynthia Wolenczak. She immediately started down the stairs towards the dock.  
  
  
  
Lucas had been playing with Darwin when he heard her call his name. It was a voice he hadn't   
heard in a couple of years, but he knew it none the less. He stood up, and there she was. She was walking   
towards him. He couldn't believe she was here. Especially since her parental rights had been terminated   
when his Dad adopted him.  
  
"Lucas, don't you want to give me a hug?" she said sweetly.  
  
"What do you want?" Lucas asked. He felt the tension fill his body.   
  
"Lucas, that's no way to talk to your mother," she said.  
  
"You're not his mother anymore," Kristin said.  
  
Cynthia turned to look at the new person addressing her.  
  
"Who are you?" Cynthia asked, still keeping her smiled plastered to her face.  
  
"Kristin Westphalen, and you aren't supposed to be here."  
  
"I simply wanted to come and visit my son for a little bit. I realize that Captain Bridger has   
adopted Lucas, but I'll always be his mother. I have a right to come and see him."  
  
"Lucas, I want you to go inside," Kristin said.  
  
Lucas stood frozen for a minute, looking at the two women. They both looked like lions guarding   
their territory. He had questions of his own though.  
  
"Why are you here?" he asked again. "And don't tell me you came to see me. We both know   
that's a lie."  
  
"Lucas, why would you say such a thing? I never hurt you. That was all your father."  
  
"You never hurt me! No, of course not. You just stood there and watched! I remember you   
sitting and filing your nails while he tossed me across the room. You didn't even flinch when he started   
hitting me with one of my text books."  
  
"Lucas, I'm sorry about what you dad did, but I couldn't have stopped him. You know he just   
would have hit me too."  
  
"I think it's time for you to leave," Kristin said. "You've caused him enough pain."  
  
"You mind your own business. This doesn't concern you at all!" Cynthia yelled at Kristin.  
  
"Don't yell at my mom," Lucas spat.  
  
"Mom?" Cynthia said. "She's not your mother, I am. I don't care what that piece of paper that   
Captain Bridger has says."  
  
"Just go away!" Lucas said. "I'm finally happy now. Leave me alone. I don't want you. I don't   
need you. I have a new family now. Kristin may not have given birth to me, but she loves me more than   
you ever did. So does the Captain. I don't know why you're here, but you can just forget it."  
  
"Lucas, you will not talk to me that way. It's exactly because of this type of behavior that your   
father had to teach you some manners!"  
  
"You bitch!" Kristin said. She walked up to Cynthia and shoved her off the dock. Lucas stared in   
shock as his mother fell into the water. Cynthia popped up above the water again. "You stay away from   
us!" Kristin snapped.   
  
"You won't get away with this," Cynthia shouted. "Lucas is my son and you can't treat me this   
way."  
  
Kristin ignored the woman and grabbed Lucas by the arm and dragged him with her. She was   
relieved when she saw Nathan finally pull up in front of the house. Thank god, he would surely make this   
nutcase leave.  
  
"Hello," he said as he got out of the car. "Who's here?" referring to the limo.  
  
"Cynthia Wolenczak," Kristin replied curtly.  
  
"What!?" Nathan couldn't believe what he had just heard.  
  
"You'll pay for this!" Cynthia said as she walked up behind them. The woman was furious and   
dripping wet.  
  
"Take Lucas in the house, now!" Nathan ordered. Once again Kristin took Lucas by the arm and   
pulled him towards the house. When Cynthia moved to follow Nathan stood in front of her and blocked   
her way.  
  
"Move!" she yelled.  
  
"No." Nathan said calmly. "You need to leave, and you need to do it now."  
  
"You may be the Captain of the seaQuest, but this is not a submarine and I'm not under your   
command. I want to see Lucas. I drove all this way to visit with him, and that crazy woman actually   
pushed me off the dock. She should be locked up!"  
  
"You are not going to see Lucas now or ever. You have no paternal rights at all. They were all   
terminated when you signed the adoption agreement."  
  
"I never agreed to that!"  
  
"Well, you should have read the papers more carefully. I'll be sure to have my lawyer send you a   
new copy of the signed documents. I'm sure your attorney will be able to explain to you just what they   
mean."  
  
"You had no right to steal my son."  
  
"What? I didn't steal him, you practically handed him over on a silver platter!"  
  
"I did no such thing. You deceived me. I'm going to hire a lawyer. This isn't over. I want my   
son back!"  
  
"Go ahead and try. You'll never get Lucas back, NEVER!" With that said he turned around and   
headed up the stairs to the house. He saw Kristin and Lucas standing on the porch listening.  
  
"This isn't over!" Cynthia yelled and then walked to her limo.  
  
Nathan took both Lucas and Kristin by the arm and led them into the house. He closed and locked   
the door behind him.  
  
"Why in the hell did you stay outside and talk to her?" he asked.  
  
"Don't you yell at me," Kristin told him. "I know you're upset but I'm not going to be your   
verbal punching bag just because you can't yell at the person you really want to yell at."  
  
Nathan ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. Kristin was right. "I'm sorry," he said.   
"Now just why on earth was that woman here?"  
  
"She said she wanted to visit with me," Lucas said.  
  
"Do you believe her?" Nathan asked him.  
  
"No, not for a minute. She hasn't wanted to see me in over two years," Lucas said. "She wants   
something, I just don't know what."  
  
"I think you're right," Nathan said. He started to walk to the office.  
  
"What are you doing?" Kristin asked.  
  
"Calling our lawyer. I want a restraining order put against her. I also want to see if she can   
actually try to reverse the adoption like she's threatening."  
  
"I don't see how she can," Kristin said. "It's been too long. She only had thirty days to contest it,   
it been what, seven, eight months now?"  
  
"Something like that, but I want to make sure none the less." Nathan looked at Lucas. The boy   
was standing there, a look of total disbelief on his face. Nathan walked over to him and pulled him into a   
hug. "Don't let this worry you. Everything is going to be okay."  
  
"I know," Lucas replied. Nathan released him and headed into the office.  
  
"Come on, you can help me set the table for dinner," Kristin said.   
  
Lucas followed her into the kitchen. His mind was still reeling from the fact that his mother had   
just been here. He hadn't seen her in over two years. She had said that she wanted to visit with him. He   
wished he could have believed that, but he knew it was a lie. She couldn't care less about him. She wanted   
something, but what? Why did she have to show up now, when his life was finally feeling normal?  
  
  
  
Later that night after dinner Lucas walked out on to the dock again and sat down, dangling his legs   
into the water. No matter how upset he was it seemed the water could always sooth him. How many nights   
had he gone to the moon pool when he was afraid or angry.  
  
He closed his eyes and just listened to the waves slap against the dock. The sun was setting, and   
there was a hint of day light left as the sky turned into golden hues of yellow and orange, plus deep pinks   
blended through out. He pulled his shirt off and slid into the water. He started to swim as fast as he could   
towards the next dock. When he reached it he turned back to repeat the laps. When he started to get tired   
he laid on his back and just floated for a second.  
  
He was startled a few minutes later when he heard Dad call him.   
  
"Lucas, it's time to come out now," Nathan called. It was getting dark now and he didn't want   
Lucas swimming after the sun had gone down. Lucas was a good swimmer, but even still, good swimmers   
were known to drown if they weren't careful.  
  
Lucas swam back to the dock and climbed out. He took the towel that Nathan handed to him.  
  
"Do you want to talk?" Nathan asked.  
  
"No," Lucas replied.  
  
"You sure? I'm not trying to make you mad, I just want to know if your upset about what   
happened today?"  
  
"I'm not upset. Honest. I'm not really sure what I feel. I think I'm suspicious, and I know my   
curiosity is definitely up, but other than that I'm not sure."  
  
"I would imagine that after not seeing her for two years this probably wasn't what you expected."  
  
"You can say that again. Although, it was pretty great when Kristin pushed her off the dock."  
  
"I would have liked to have seen that myself," Nathan said with a laugh.  
  
"I just wish I knew what she wanted. She was acting really weird today, first being all nice and   
sugar coated, and then she got so angry towards the end, even before Kristin pushed her. Before she   
always just sort of ignored me. Half the time she never even knew I was in the room with her."  
  
"Lucas, I want you to stay close to the house for the next few days. Don't go anywhere alone,   
okay."  
  
"You don't think she'd do anything?" Lucas asked, somewhat surprised. "I mean, she didn't do   
anything to protect me, but she also never tried to directly hurt me. That's not her style."  
  
"I know, but just stick close by anyway. You can hang out with the crew at their place, but I really   
don't want you going anywhere by yourself."  
  
"Alright," Lucas agreed.   
  
  
______________________________________________  
  
  
  
Cynthia sat in her hotel room. She was furious. She had never expected Lucas to jump for joy   
when he saw her, but she sure as hell hadn't expected that either. The awful things he had said to her, and   
that woman! She had actually pushed her into the water. In all her life she had never been treated that way   
before, by anyone. She sure as hell wasn't about to start letting people get away with it now, either. No,   
she would get even for this if it was the last thing she did.  
  
At first she had been against this idea of Lawrence's. She hadn't liked the idea that he was using   
her to manipulate Lucas and Bridger, but now it was a game she was more than willing to play along with.   
Only, she wanted to do a little more than just cause the Captain a few legal problems. Both she and   
Lawrence knew that they'd never actually get Lucas back, it was just a game to upset their happy little   
lives.  
  
She wasn't sure just what the new game plan would be, but she would think of something, and she   
was pretty sure that Lawrence would only be too happy to go along.  
  
  
____________________________________________  
  
  
  
Lucas was busy typing away in his office. The new software for seaQuest was coming along   
great. The program he was designing was much more user friendly than the old system had been. Also, he   
had improved the computers security programs a great deal. He had designed for a touch screen to be in his   
Dad's quarters so that at any time of the day all he had to do was enter his access code and he could   
monitor the boats functions and get instant information.   
  
Plus, he made arrangements for another console to be in engineering, so that in the event of   
another take over situation, the bridge could be bypassed and control of the boat could be done by someone   
in engineering. This new console would be disguised as something else however. Only Dad, Commander   
Ford, Commander Hitchcock and himself would know about it.  
  
He looked at the clock. It was a quarter to five. Dad would be coming to get him soon so they   
could go home. Dad spent most of his day out at the dry dock over seeing the repairs and the upgrades. He   
had also taken advantage of the opportunity to make a few changes of his own. He had had the inside of   
the aqua tubes labeled so people swimming through them would have an idea of where they were going.  
  
He was also having some of the recreational equipment on board changed or replaced for better   
models. It was hard enough being trapped on the boat for sometimes months at a time, but when the little   
bit of recreational equipment on board broke down it made it even worse.  
  
Lucas began to save his work and shut down his computer. Usually when he worked he forgot all   
sense of time and Dad had to drag him away, but today was different. It was Friday for one, and tonight   
everyone was coming over their house to play poker and have a little fun. Plus, Ben was going to barbecue.   
Ben, being the meat lover that he was, was going to make both barbecued ribs and chicken kabobs. Say   
what you want about the man, but he could definitely cook.  
  
Lucas stood up and closed his laptop just as Nathan was walking in the room.  
  
"Well, this is a first. I take it you really want to go?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Lucas said. " I can smell Ben's barbecue already."  
  
"Well then we better head home before the Lieutenant eats it all," Nathan smiled. Lucas walked   
out of the room and locked the door behind him.   
  
"Dad, will you take me to the mall tomorrow?" Lucas asked.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, Sunday is Mother's Day," Lucas said. "I have to get something for Mom. I want to get her   
something really nice."  
  
Nathan smiled. "Sure, we can go to the mall." He thought about how surprised Kristin would be   
about getting a Mother's Day present from Lucas. "So do you have any idea of what you want to get her?"  
  
"No, not really. I just know that I want it to be special."  
  
"Well, I have an idea."  
  
"Really? What?" Lucas asked.  
  
"Well, you've given me several really great gifts, but honestly, the best thing you ever gave me   
was the silver frame that was engraved Father & Son. It really meant a lot."  
  
"Do you think I should get one that says Mother & Son, or maybe I should get one that says Our   
Family?"  
  
"We'll decide tomorrow at the store," Nathan said.  
  
Nathan unlocked the car and they got in to make their commute home. Lucas turned on the radio   
to a hard rock station. Nathan liked the music, but the volume was a bit much so he reached over and   
lowered it just a bit. Lucas didn't complain, just moved his head to the beat of the music.  
  
He was glad that Lucas was doing so well, lately. He was totally happy designing the computer   
systems for the boat, he was overjoyed to be calling Kristin mom, and he wasn't even home sick not living   
on the boat since the crew was in a house of their own just a bit away from theirs. Even the unexpected   
visit of Cynthia Wolenczak two weeks ago hadn't really bothered the boy. Nathan had expected Lucas to   
wake up screaming that night, but it didn't happen. Lucas slept through the night peacefully, and had done   
so every night since.  
  
He realized that ever since Lucas had gone into a rage at Nana's house over the way his parents   
had treated him he had made peace with his childhood. As Nathan had hoped the boy had moved on, and   
was happy to just live his new life.  
  
_____________________________________  
  
  
Cynthia sat in her bedroom watching the surveillance tape that the man she had hired to follow   
Lucas had delivered to her. This was now her third time watching the it. At first she had been angry as she   
watched Lucas happy and smiling, spending time with Bridger and the Doctor. The tape had shown them   
going to the supermarket, playing volleyball with friends, commuting back and forth to work, and Lucas   
playing with that dolphin.   
  
Once scene had affected her more than she liked. She didn't know how he had done it, but he had   
actually taped the three of them in their living room watching TV. Lucas had been lying in the sofa with   
his head on a pillow in the woman's lap. She had been playing with Lucas' hair and Cynthia watched as   
her son looked so peaceful and slowly fell asleep with his head still in the lap of the woman he now called   
mom.  
  
The tape ended, showing Lucas swimming in the ocean at sunset. She immediately hit rewind to   
watch it yet once again. She wiped her face with her hands and realized that she was crying. He anger had   
been replaced with sadness, and a deep feeling of loss. She couldn't even explain where these feelings had   
come from.  
  
She hit the play button again and once more watched as Lucas, Bridger, and the doctor went to the   
supermarket. She watched them pick vegetables. She smiled when Lucas rolled his eyes when Bridger   
kissed the woman. Then Bridger ruffled Lucas' hair and wrapped an arm around him.  
  
That was supposed to be her there. This should be her life she was watching, but instead she was   
alone. Lawrence was in jail, Lucas hated her, her friends had deserted her when Lawrence was convicted.   
She had turned her back a long time ago on a simple life, but now as she watched the three people on her   
television she found herself consumed with jealousy. She wanted what they had. She wanted her son back.   
She wanted a second chance at happiness.  
  
Tomorrow was Saturday, she could go visit Lawrence and talk to him. He could help her get what   
she wanted. He would help her too, because even though it would mean her having Lucas and being   
happy, it would also mean that Bridger wouldn't have him, and that could be Lawrence's revenge. It was a   
win-win situation for both of them  
  
______________________________________  
  
  
  
Lucas was in the kitchen helping his Dad to cook breakfast for Kristin. They had scrambled eggs,   
hash browns, bacon, toast, and fresh orange juice. They were trying to hurry since Kristin was an early   
riser and would probably be up any second.  
  
The kitchen table was set with the good dishes and a large bouquet of yellow roses was in the   
center of the table. They were her favorite. Lucas placed his beautifully wrapped present next to her side   
of the table. He had spent almost as much money on the wrapping paper and bows as he had on the gift   
itself. Then he stood the card next to the box.  
  
"Mmmmm, something sure smells good," Kristin said, stepping into the kitchen. "What's the   
occasion?"  
  
"Happy Mother's Day," Lucas said, smiling broadly at her.  
  
She looked shocked for a second. She hadn't even realized what the date was. She looked at the   
table and saw the present. Then she looked at Lucas' smiling face. Then she smiled at him and gave him a   
big hug, which he returned.  
  
"I can't believe you went to all this trouble," she said. "This is so wonderful."  
  
"Have a seat," Lucas said. He pulled the chair out for her and she sat down.  
  
Nathan began to fill the plates with eggs, and the other items. Lucas poured the juice.   
  
"The flowers are beautiful," Kristin said. "Yellow roses have always been my favorite."  
  
"We know," Nathan said, his smile as big as Lucas'.  
  
When breakfast was over and the dishes had been cleared away by Lucas and Nathan, Kristin   
unwrapped her gift. She opened the box slowly, pulling the tissue paper away. She lifted the silver frame   
and looked at it. It matched the one that Lucas had given Nathan for Christmas she realized. Nathan had   
treasured it, and it was now sitting on the mantle of the fire place. However, this one said mother instead of   
father, and it held of picture of her and Lucas that had been taken on Lucas' birthday. They were both   
smiling and she had her arm around him. She remembered that Tim had been the one taking the pictures   
that day.  
  
She felt her eyes well up with tears and she blinked quickly, trying to hold them back. "Lucas, it's   
perfect. I love it."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Really," she replied. Again she gave the boy a hug, and this time her tears fell anyway. She   
released the boy and he looked at her concerned.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry," Lucas said.  
  
"Oh, don't worry, these are the good kind of tears," she replied, quickly wiping her eyes. "We   
have to put this next to the other one on the mantle," she told them.  
  
"We've already made a space for it," Nathan said.  
  
They were interrupted by a knock on the door.  
  
"Hey, Lucas," Ben called. "We're going to play volley ball. Want to join us?"  
  
Lucas looked at Kristin. "Go on," she said. "Have fun." She stood up and gave him a quick peck   
on the cheek and he smiled at her and then headed outside.  
  
Nathan handed her a tissue.  
  
"Thank you," she laughed and then wiped her eyes again. "I can't believe he did that. I hadn't   
even realized that today was Mother's Day."  
  
"He wanted to make it special for you," Nathan said.  
  
"Well, he certainly did. I guess I should get dressed. I don't know about you, but a game of   
volley ball sounds like fun."  
  
"Yeah, it does," Nathan agreed.  
  
  
  
The family spent the rest of the day playing with their friends and relaxing. Lucas played seven   
games of volley ball before he said enough. He dived into the water to cool off and then he laid out on a   
towel and soaked up some sun. He had actually gotten a pretty good tan since they had moved into the   
beach house about five weeks ago. Plus, the sun had made his hair blonder. He had even gained weight   
and he lost the sometimes sickly look he had when he was too pale and too skinny.  
  
It was a perfect Sunday in May. The weather was warm and sun was shining. As it neared five   
o'clock no one was much in the mood to cook so Miguel and Ben went to pick up a couple of pizzas and   
some beer.  
  
Lucas was in the middle of his third slice of pizza and had popped the top on his second can of   
coke. As he listened to everyone talk about what to do.  
  
"How about some poker?" Ben asked.  
  
"No way," Tim replied. "I already lost all my money two nights ago."  
  
"Same here," Ford replied, giving Lucas a look.  
  
Lucas just smiled. He had won big time at Friday nights poker game. He had raked in $194!  
  
"Actually, I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat," Katie said. "About the only thing I want to   
do is vegetate on the couch in front of the TV."  
  
"That sounds like a good idea to me, too," Kristin replied. All the volley ball had exhausted her.  
  
"I got some new movies," Miguel said.  
  
"I'm not watching porno's!" Katie replied.  
  
"They're not porno's," Miguel said. "That's more Ben's style. These are action flicks. Lots of   
explosions, car chases, and shot outs."  
  
"Ugh, I'll pass," Kristin said. "Men!"  
  
"Tell me about it," Katie agreed.  
  
"Oh what? All the lovey dovey stuff women watch is soooo much better?" Ben stated. "If I have   
to see one more movie with Heath Ledger in it or Haley Joel Osmit I swear I'll puke!"  
  
"There's nothing wrong with romance," Katie said, "it just happens to be a topic that you know   
nothing about."  
  
Nathan and Lucas both groaned. That was a low blow, and they knew Ben would only be to   
happy to return the comment.  
  
"Oh yeah, well you seemed to think me romantic when we were dating!" Ben said. "I can't help it   
that after the marriage you turned into a control freak and walked out on me, leaving me high and dry."  
  
"A control freak! Oh, that's good Ben, real good, that coming from someone who still acts   
younger than Lucas! Remind me again, who's idea was it to take him to the bar by the way?"  
  
"Ben's!" both Miguel and Tim replied.  
  
Lucas cringed. He didn't want to talk about this. That had been one of the worst nights of his life.   
He had been sick for 48 hours after that. Not to mention Kristin had chewed him out for a good two hours   
about the evils of alcohol.  
  
"Oh, thanks for the help," Ben yelled at Tim and Miguel.  
  
"Okay, if you guys are about to go to war, why don't you go to your own porch and do it," Kristin   
said, "Personally I've had a nice day and I'd like to keep it that way."  
  
"Sorry," Katie said quickly. Ben also apologized.  
  
"Katie, why don't you and I go in the bedroom and watch a movie, that way the boys can watch   
whatever they want on the big screen. And just for the record, I happen to have Heath Ledger's new   
movie."  
  
'Sounds god to me," Katie laughed.  
  
Kristin got up and gave Nathan a kiss and then went into the house with Katie.  
  
"Actually, I say we skip the movie, the football game is about to come on," Nathan said, looking   
at his watch.  
  
"Alright," Miguel said. Everyone picked up the garbage on the porch and carried it into the   
kitchen and disposed of it.  
  
Lucas looked out the window and saw that the sun was setting. He had started a habit of taking a   
swim during this time of the day. He looked at the clock and saw that the game wasn't due to start for   
about another ten minutes, and he doubted if he'd miss much if he missed the first ten minutes of the game.  
  
"Dad, I'm going to take a quick swim," Lucas said.  
  
"Okay, but I want you out of the water before it gets dark," Nathan told him.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
He watched Lucas head out to the dock and jump in after whipping off his shirt. He didn't   
understand why it was that Lucas had started swimming at sun set. Something about this time of day   
seemed to relax him and he just had to be in the water. But he didn't like it because Lucas would stay in   
until it was almost dark and often he would have to go fetch him. It would have been different if Darwin   
was with him for his swim, but Darwin was always gone for the evening come this time of day.  
  
"Hey Captain, do you have any microwave popcorn?" Miguel asked.  
  
"Sure do, even have the kind with the pour over butter stuff," Nathan replied. "It's in the second   
cabinet over the stove."  
  
"Cool," Miguel replied.  
  
  
  
Lucas had just finished doing his tenth lap between the two docks when he finally settled on his   
back and floated peacefully. His body would rise and fall with the small waves. He loved this time of day.   
The beach was so quiet and the sky lit up in a fire of colors.  
  
He thought back to the morning. Kristin had been truly shocked this morning when she woke up.   
He had made her so happy that she had cried. Then the day had been perfect. He was glad that the crew   
lived so close to them. He liked having his friends around.  
  
He saw that it was getting dark now. He needed to get out before Dad came to get him. He turned   
to head back to the dock when he felt something prick his upper leg. He kicked out and felt that someone   
was under the water with him. Hands grabbed his legs and he pushed away.   
  
Suddenly he felt himself growing tired, so tired. 'Oh god,' he realized, 'the prick, it had been an   
injection. He'd been drugged.' He slipped under the water, no longer able to swim. He felt the person   
with him come up behind him and wrap his arms around Lucas' chest and tow him through the water. He   
saw that he was moving away from his house but he could move or call for help. He closed his eyes as he   
finally blacked out.  
  
  
  
  
Nathan had looked out the window at Lucas ten minutes ago, but now as he looked outside again   
he saw that he sun had set and it was dark. He stood up and grabbed a towel and went to call the boy in.   
As he walked down the steps he scanned the water looking for Lucas. He couldn't see him. It was too   
dark. He started down the dock still looking for the boy.  
  
"Lucas!" he called. He waited for a response. "Lucas!" He was starting to grow nervous. Where   
was he? "LUCAS!…LUCAS!" He looked around frantically searching for him. "LUCAS!" He saw that   
Lucas' t-shirt was still on the dock. The boy hadn't come in out of the water. He kicked his own shoes off   
and his shirt and jumped in to start searching for him.  
  
  
  
Inside the men heard the Captain screaming for Lucas. Ben raced to the door to look outside.  
  
"Something's wrong!" Ben exclaimed when he saw Bridger jump into the water. He took off   
running towards the dock, both Miguel, Tim, and Jonathon right on his heels. Loud thumps came from the   
dock as their feet pounded on it. Seeing Bridger in the water still calling Lucas' name they also whipped   
off their shirts and shoes and jumped in to search. The night sky was now black, only the half moon was   
providing light.  
  
Nathan startled when he heard the others jump in. So engrossed in finding his son, he hadn't even   
heard them arrive.  
  
"I can't find Lucas," Nathan cried out. He saw them take a breath and dive down under, looking   
for the boy. Nathan quickly climbed onto the dock. He knew the four of them would continue to search.   
  
He ran up the dock to the house. He went to the vid-link and called 911.  
  
A young woman popped on the screen. "What's your emergency?"  
  
"My son is missing. He was swimming in the ocean and now we can't find him," Nathan quickly   
gave her the address, along with his and Lucas' name.  
  
"Search and rescue has been notified. They will be there any moment, sir. An ambulance is also   
on it's way."  
  
"Thank you," Nathan said. He looked up to see Kristin and Katie come into the room.  
  
"What's happening?" she asked, seeing him all wet.  
  
"We can't find Lucas," he told her and ran back out side. Again he went down to the dock. He   
saw that Kristin and Katie were right behind him.  
  
"Have you found him?" Nathan asked.  
  
"No…not yet," Jonathon told him.  
  
They all looked up when they heard the loud engine of a boat speeding towards them, and an   
ambulance siren was coming form the distance.  
  
The boat turned on bright spot lights and pointed them at the group on the dock.  
  
"HERE!" Nathan called, waving to them. The boat pulled along the dock.  
  
"Have you found him, yet?" a man in a wet suit called out.  
  
"No," Nathan yelled.  
  
"How old is he?"   
  
"Fifteen."  
  
Everyone watched as four divers all carrying flashlights plunged into the water. The others   
climbed onto the dock so as to not be in there way. The lights could be seen under the water as the men   
traveled back and forth quickly, searching for any signs of the boy. Then the lights began to dim as the   
divers went even deeper and father away from the dock.  
  
Nathan felt the tears start to fall down his face. Even if they found Lucas, he had been under for   
so long now, would they even be able to revive him? The water wasn't cold enough to keep his body alive.   
Dear god, he couldn't lose the boy, not now, not after everything he had gone through to keep him safe. He   
felt a hand on his arm and he turned to see Kristin, she was also crying. He quickly pulled her to him and   
held her.  
  
"What's taking so long!" Ben demanded.   
  
"Ben, they're doing their best," Jonathon told him. He was trying to maintain his calm demeanor,   
but truthfully he was only moments away from losing it.  
  
"He'll be okay," Tim said. "Lucas is always okay. He's got more lives than a cat. You'll see."   
His voice cracked slightly.   
  
The large spotlights on the boat scanned the coast line and the area around the docks.  
  
The minutes passed by and everyone on the dock was starting to realize the truth even if they   
didn't want to admit it. Lucas was dead. Even if they found him now it wouldn't matter. It was simply to   
late to revive him.  
  
More cars pulled up to the house along with several news vans. Reporters began jumping out,   
lugging their heavy cameras with them. No one noticed a man carrying a camcorder recording the events   
that followed. He made sure to get close ups of the grieving family and friends faces. He also video taped   
the news crews as they fought to get their interviews.  
  
The networks had wasted no time in getting here to cover the story of the drowning death of the   
UEO's teen genius and adopted son of Captain Nathan Hale Bridger, also son of the convicted Lawrence   
Wolenczak, the great scientist who had been sent to prison for physically abusing the child genius. This   
was sure to be the lead story in the news for weeks. Especially since the man knew that they would never   
find the body.   
  
A commotion drew his attention and he quickly turned to record whatever was happening.   
Paramedics were racing down the dock and it looked as if someone had collapsed. He hit the zoom feature   
on his camera and saw that Captain Bridger himself was being put into a stretcher. Oh, this was just too   
perfect. His employer was surely going to love this. He watched as the paramedics went running past him,   
yelling about a possible heart attack.  
  
The woman with the Captain clearly looked torn. Part of her wanted to go with him, but part of   
her clearly wanted to stay incase they found the boy. He saw a tall black man put a hand on her shoulder   
and tell her something. She nodded her head at him and then climbed into the ambulance with the Captain.  
  
The ambulance pulled away quickly, sirens blaring, leaving everyone else behind at the house. He   
turned his camera to focus on a young brunette being held and comforted by a man who was also crying.   
He was startled when a Hispanic man came up to him, demanding to know who he was.  
  
"Sorry, I'm just passing through. Saw all the commotion," he replied nonchalantly.  
  
"Well, get out of here why don't you," Miguel yelled at him. He couldn't believe that people   
would actually stop and record something like this. This man obviously wasn't with the press, he was just   
some sicko who wanted to watch other people suffer.  
  
"Sorry, man. Didn't mean any offense." He quickly turned and walked back to his car. He   
started the engine and drove away, smiling at the thought that the reason for all the commotion was   
currently drugged and sleeping in the trunk of his car.  
  
____________________________________  
  
  
  
Kristin sat in the waiting room of the hospital. She was overcome with grief and couldn't stop her   
tears from falling. Lucas had drowned, and now it looked as if Nathan had had a heart attack. Dear god,   
how could this be happening. It just couldn't be happening. She couldn't lose them both in one night.   
  
"Dr. Westphalen?" a Doctor said as he entered the room.  
  
She quickly stood up and walked towards him.  
  
"How is he?" she asked.  
  
"Well, we don't think he had a heart attack. As you know it can sometimes be hard to determine   
these things. We think he went into shock, and the panic triggered the chest pains. His EKG shows that his   
heart is working just fine now and we gave him something to calm him down. We are going to keep him   
over night to monitor him to make sure his really is okay, but otherwise, it looks like he will be able to go   
home in the morning."  
  
"Thank god," Kristin said, "I thought I was going to lose both of them," she cried.  
  
"Excuse me?" the doctor said.   
  
"Our son, he…he drowned tonight," she said as she broke down again. "That's why…that's why   
  
Nathan went into sh-shock."  
  
"I'm so sorry," the doctor said. "Is there anything you need?"  
  
"No…no I'm alright." She wiped at her face and tried to pull herself together.  
  
"Okay, well you can see him now if you like. If you need anything let one of the nurses know."  
  
"Thank you," Kristin replied. She walked to the door that the doctor pointed to and entered   
Nathan's room. He was in a hospital gown laying in bed. He looked at her as she entered and she saw the   
tears fall silently down his face.  
  
"Have you heard anything?" he asked, his voice almost pleading.  
  
"No," she told him. "I'm sure the others will contact us the minute something happens," she said.   
She tried to not lose it in front of him. He was already at the breaking point.   
  
Nathan turned his head to look out the window. He saw the moon shining into his room. The sky   
was black except for the area right around the moon. His son was now floating lifelessly in all that   
blackness. Lucas was gone. His wonderful, hyper, intelligent, kind hearted son was gone. He prayed they   
at least fond his body. He wanted to be able to bury Lucas, not just an empty box like they did for Robert.   
He needed to see Lucas for himself, to make his brain really believe that he was gone. Even after all these   
years he still hadn't fully believed that Robert was really dead. A small part of him would always wonder.   
He didn't want that to happen with Lucas. He needed to see the body.  
  
Suddenly he began to sob. Two sons. He had lost two sons. He felt Kristin wrap her arms around   
him, trying to grieve with him, but he pulled away.   
  
"Kristin, please, don't be hurt, but I need to be alone," Nathan choked out.  
  
"Of course," she said. She kissed him on the cheek and then stepped out of the room, closing the   
door behind her. She sat in a chair down the hall and cried herself. She saw the others enter the hallway   
and she quickly stood up, praying for a miracle. Praying that this was all just a mistake, that Lucas had just   
wandered away and was now safe at home.  
  
As she got closer to them their own grief stricken faces told her that no miracles were going to   
happen tonight.  
  
"Kristin, they still haven't found…" Jonathon couldn't finish the sentence. A single tear fell down   
his face as he struggled to keep control. Kristin wrapper her arms around the man's neck and the two   
stood, supporting one another for a moment. Finally Ford pulled back, again under control and asked,   
  
"How is the Captain?"  
  
"He didn't have a heart attack," she said. "It was shock."  
  
"How's he handling this?" Katie asked.  
  
Kristin didn't answer, she just started to cry again. This time she felt Katie give her a hug.   
  
"Why don't you come home with us," Katie said. "You don't need to be in that house by yourself   
tonight."  
  
"No…no, that's not necessary. I'll be fine at my own place. I think I need to be alone for a while   
anyway."  
  
"You sure?" Tim asked.  
  
"Yes, will one of you please drive me back. Nathan is spending the night, but he doesn't want   
anyone around right now. He even asked me to leave."  
  
"We might as well all go," Ben said. "We can pick the Captain up tomorrow when they release   
him."   
  
___________________________________  
  
  
Lucas woke slowly. The only thing he knew was that he was moving. He opened his eyes but all   
he could see was black. He tried to move but he found his hands were bound tightly in front of him. He   
began to panic when he realized his mouth was taped shut and his feet were bound also. As he moved   
around he felt that he was in a very small space. He realized where he was when the car hit a pot hole. He   
was in the trunk of a car. He began to pound on the trunk lid with his hands. 'Oh god, let me out,' he   
thought.  
  
He felt the car slow down and finally stop. For a moment all was quiet, then he heard a door open   
and foot steps walking on gravel came near him. The trunk opened and Lucas saw it was still night time.   
He could make out the outline of a man, but that was all he could tell. He tried to sit up but strong hands   
pushed him back down. He saw that he was only wearing his shorts. Of course, he had been taken while   
swimming. Something stuck him in the arm and he looked to see a needle with the plunger forcing   
something into him. 'No, not again.' Lucas tried to fight the effects of the drug but like before, he felt his   
body surrendering and he closed his eyes and passed out once again.  
  
___________________________________________  
  
  
  
Kristin stepped into the house and closed the door. Now that the others were gone and she was   
alone she sank to the floor and drew her knees up to her chest and cried for all she was worth. Dear god,   
Lucas was gone. He was really gone. She loved him so much and now he was gone and she'd never see   
him ever again. She'd never hear that laugh or watch him roll his eyes. No more would she have to ask   
him to turn down the volume on his radio or tell him to turn off his computer and go to bed. Never again   
would she just be able to hold him and tell him she loved him.  
  
Please, god, don't let this really be happening. Please, it's a mistake. Please, god, give him back.   
She slowly made her way out of the floor and walked over to the fire place. She looked at the mantle at the   
picture frame he had given her just this morning. He had been so happy to give her a Mother's Day   
present. She took the frame from the mantle and carried it into the bedroom with her. She laid across the   
bed clutching the frame to her chest where she cried herself to sleep.  
  
  
____________________________________________  
  
  
  
Nathan stepped out of the bathroom and walked back to his bed. He didn't want to be here. He   
wasn't going to die tonight, unfortunately. He wished he had died of a heart attack tonight. It would have   
been easier than to try and live now with his heart shattered into a million pieces. How much loss was he   
supposed to have to endure in one life. What had he done that god deemed it necessary to take away   
everyone he ever loved. How long before Kristin died?   
  
He knew her grief over this was going to be just as bad as his, but he didn't think he had the   
strength to help her through this. He didn't want to deal with it himself. He had had enough of life. He   
should have just stayed on his island. It would have been better that way. Now he couldn't even go there   
cause it would just be a matter of time before they came to try and drag him off, telling him to let go of the   
pain, to move on, that it's what Lucas would have wanted.  
  
Nathan walked over to the small closet and started to get dressed. He tossed the dreaded gown on   
the bed and then walked out of his room. Since it was the middle of the night only one nurse was at the   
desk and she looked to be too busy to notice him. He walked right past with no problem. In a minute he   
was outside of the hospital and heading home. He realized that he didn't have a car, or his wallet, so he   
couldn't call a cab. He figured it was probably a five mile walk to his house. Not a problem. He started   
walking, reliving moments of his time spent with Lucas in his mind.   
  
Since he hadn't been in a hurry to get home he took his time, and two hours later he found himself   
finally climbing the stairs to the beach house. He lifted the mat and picked up the spare key.   
  
Inside he found that the lights were still on. He walked to Kristin's room and found her laying   
across the bed, holding the picture that Lucas gave her this morning. Even in sleep her face was lined with   
grief. Then he went to his own room. He grabbed a duffle bag and stuffed a few articles of clothing into it.   
He went to the bathroom and grabbed his toothbrush and his comb. He changed into jeans and shirt, and he   
threw on his leather jacket.   
  
He stepped into Lucas' room. The boy's presence was so strong in here that it threatened to   
overwhelm him again. But he forced himself to hold back the pain. He saw Lucas' Marlin's shirt laying in   
the floor and he picked it up. Lucas had been wearing it the day he met him for the first time. He stuffed   
the shirt into his duffle bag. He walked into the living room and took his frame, Father & Son. It also went   
into the duffle bag.   
  
He set the bag by the door and went back to take one last look at Kristin. He loved her with all his   
heart, and he felt bad that he was leaving her like this, but he couldn't stay. He realized that she would be   
afraid when he was reported missing from the hospital. The thought quickly passed his mind that he should   
take the phone off the hook. There was a good chance the hospital could call here looking for him.  
He went to his desk and took out a piece of paper and a pencil.  
  
  
Kristin,  
  
I'm sorry I'm leaving. I know you'll be hurt, and I wish it didn't have to be, but I have to go. I   
just can't be around anyone right now. Please forgive me if you can. I love you with all my heart, but I   
can't stand by and watch life take you away from me either. Everyone I love dies. Maybe I'm supposed to   
die an old and lonely man. I think it's what god wants of me.  
  
Please make sure that a memorial is held for Lucas. In my phone book is the number to Matt   
Grabowski. He's my lawyer, I'll contact him and tell him to have all the bills paid for. I don't care what it   
costs, it's the last thing I can give him and he deserves the best.  
  
I'll love you always,  
Nathan  
  
With that Nathan went back to the door, picked up his bag, and took one last look at his life. Then   
he opened the door and left. He went down the stairs and stowed his duffle to the back of his motorcycle.   
  
He knew if he turned the bike on here he would wake Kristin up so he walked the bike away from the   
house and when he was halfway down the block he finally started the bike and drove away. He didn't have   
a destination in mind. He just decided to go anywhere that wasn't here.  
  
__________________________________________  
  
  
  
Lucas woke the following morning in a much more comfortable position than he had when he was   
in the trunk of the car. He lifted his head to see that he was in a large bed with thick covers on him. He   
groggily got out of the bed. He was now wearing soft pajamas. He certainly hadn't been treated this well   
the last he was kidnapped, he thought to himself. When Cobb kidnapped him he had been handcuffed and   
left on a concrete floor.  
  
He looked around the room. He realized he recognized it. He was in his Dad's cottage. How in   
the heck did he end up in Pennsylvania? He walked to the door and found that it was locked. He walked   
across to the room's only window. He pulled back the curtains to see that a special screen had been bolted   
into the wall so he couldn't beak the window. He went into the bathroom and saw that a similar screen   
covered that window too.  
  
Okay, so you can't get out. He looked around for a phone or a computer. Of course neither was in   
the room. He opened another door and found a small closet filled with clothes. He pulled out an outfit and   
changed out of the pajamas. The clothes were too big, but they'd do.  
  
He went back to the door to pull the pins out but he was surprised to see that the door had been   
turned around, so the pins holding the door to the wall were actually outside of the room. He jumped back   
away from the door when he heard it start to open.  
  
He stared in disbelief when he saw his mother enter the room carrying a tray of food. A tall man   
was blocking the door way, preventing Lucas from running out.  
  
"Well, good morning sweetheart," she said chipperly.  
  
"What's going on?" Lucas asked.  
  
"Why breakfast," Cynthia replied. "I hope you like eggs. I'm afraid I don't know what your   
favorite kind is so I made you scrambled. There's also sausage and some toast."  
  
She set the tray on the bed and looked happily at Lucas.  
  
"I want to go back home right now," Lucas demanded.  
  
"Lucas, you are home. We're going to live here from now on."  
  
"I want to go back to the Captain," Lucas insisted.  
  
"I'm afraid that's not going to happen. I'm your mother and you're staying with me now."  
  
"You mean I'm your prisoner!" Lucas said as he pulled the curtains back to show the metal   
screens.  
  
"No, you're not my prisoner, but I'm smart enough to know that you'd try to run away from   
home."  
  
"THIS IS NOT MY HOME!" Lucas screamed.  
  
"You will not raise your voice to me," Cynthia told him.  
  
"How could you kidnap me? I was drugged, twice!"  
  
"It was necessary. Listen, Lucas, I know I wasn't a good mother before, but I want us to have a   
second chance. I want to prove to you that I can take care of you just as well as that other woman and your   
Captain."  
  
"Yeah, you're doing a swell job so far. Drugging me, stuffing me in a trunk, taking me away from   
the people I love. Do you really think the Captain won't know what's happened. He's going to come   
looking for me!"  
  
"No he's not," Cynthia replied.  
  
"Yes he will, he loves me, so does Kristin! They won't let you do this to me."  
  
Cynthia didn't say anything, she turned to the big man still at the door. "Dirk, please bring it in,"   
she said.  
  
Dirk rolled a twenty inch TV and VCR into Lucas' room. Cynthia plugged the TV into the wall   
and turned it on. She hit the play button on he VCR. Lucas watched as he saw Mom and Dad standing on   
the dock. They were both crying, as was the crew. He saw a search boat in the water. It dawned on him   
suddenly that they were looking for him. They all thought he'd drowned while he had been swimming. He   
saw all the reporters there fighting for a story.  
  
His heart skipped a beat when he saw his Dad being put into an ambulance. Oh god, was he okay?   
Then he saw Miguel yelling at the man who had been taping everything. The tape turned to snow as it   
reached the end. Then Cynthia turned on CNN and Lucas saw that they were talking about him. He turned   
the channels himself to the other news networks and saw that he was on all the stations.   
  
They were talking about his drowning and that Secretary Noyce was due to speak about his death   
at a noon news conference. The reporter told that Captain Nathan Bridger had been rushed to the hospital   
when it appeared that he had been having a heart attack, but that the chest pains had been the result of   
stress. God, Dad had been so worried about him that he had ended up in the hospital.  
  
Lucas was shocked to hear that a memorial was being planned for him to take place the next day.   
It was going to be held on the beach where he had supposedly drowned. Lucas felt his legs giving out and   
he suddenly plopped into the floor. Everyone thought he was dead. They were all mourning his death. He   
suddenly thought about how Mom and Dad and his friends must be feeling.   
  
"I have to go home," Lucas said, "they must all be so upset, so sad."  
  
"Lucas, this is your home now. They're upset, but they'll get over it in time. I know this must   
come as a shock to you, but you'll see, it'll all be okay in time."  
  
"How can you do this? Please, I want to go to my Mom and Dad." A hand slapped him across his   
face. Lucas quickly covered his cheek, surprised that Cynthia had struck him.   
  
"You will not call that other woman mom. I am your mom, do you understand me?" Cynthia said   
angrily.  
  
Lucas glared at her. "I'll never call you mom ever again, Cyn-thi-a." He deliberately stressed her   
name as he said it, proving his point. She looked like she was about to slap him again, but instead she   
forced a smile on her face and looked at him sweetly.  
  
"Lucas, I'll let that one slide. I can see you're upset, but in time, you'll see, everything will work   
out just fine, and you'll love me again. Now eat your breakfast. I'll be back in a little bit to take your tray   
away."  
  
Lucas watched as Dirk unplugged the TV and rolled it out of the room. Lucas heard the bolt catch   
as the door was locked once again.  
  
He couldn't believe this was happening. His moth…Cynthia had gone off the deep end, turning   
into the mom from Leave It to Beaver, and everyone who loved him thought he was dead. He could only   
imagine the pain Mom and Dad must be feeling right now. Especially Dad, since he had already lost one   
family. How many times had he told Lucas that he would never lose another family. It was no wonder he   
had ended up in the hospital.  
  
He felt tears burn his eyes but he forced them back. He told himself that he couldn't lose it. He   
had to keep his head straight if he was going to get out of here and get back home. For once he couldn't   
wait for his Dad to come get him. No one was coming to rescue him this time. He was all alone.  
  
He looked at the food suspiciously. He was hungry, but he was afraid that the food might be   
drugged. It would be one way for Cynthia to force him to be the perfect little boy that she wanted him to   
be. He took the food and flushed it down the toilet, but just a little at a time so his didn't make the toilet   
over flow.  
  
He put the empty plate back on the tray and looked for a knife. He wasn't surprised to see that the   
only silverware he had been given was a spoon. He hadn't even been trusted to have a fork. He started to   
search through the room for something to help him escape. Most of the drawers in the dresser were empty.   
  
The chest was simply filled with socks, underwear, and more pajamas. Damn, he had nothing. There was   
a book shelf filled with paper back books and computer magazines.  
  
In the bathroom he found a toothbrush, towels, shampoo, soap, and a comb. He wondered what   
the odds were of knocking Dirk out using a shampoo bottle. He figured they were slim to none. He went   
back to his tray and saw that the plate and the glass were both made out plastic.  
  
He sat down on the bed and hit it out of frustration. About the only thing he could hope to do was   
plow his way through the door and hope for the best if the opportunity arose. He laid across the bed and   
waited to see what happened next.  
  
  
____________________________________  
  
  
  
Kristin laid in her bed and continued to cry. She still had the picture of Lucas, but now she also   
clutched the note that Nathan had left her. A cruel twist of fate had allowed for Nathan to not have a heart   
attack, but for her to lose him anyway. He had left her. Lucas was gone and now so was Nathan.   
  
She had heard the others in the house, walking around in a daze, trying to figure out what to do.   
They had finally given up on trying to comfort her. She was beyond that now. Thank god, Jonathon and   
Katie had taken over and made the arrangements for the memorial to be held tomorrow. She couldn't   
believe that Nathan wasn't going to be there for that. How on earth was she supposed to make it through   
that with out him.   
  
Everyone had been as shocked as she had to find out that Nathan had slipped away during the   
middle of the night. The UEO had already sent someone to his island and reported that he wasn't there.   
She had known he wouldn't be there. If Nathan wanted to disappear he sure as heck wasn't going to go to   
the first place everyone would look.  
  
She heard the TV reporters talk once again about the boy genius, and the loss that everyone felt.   
The news was eating up the story. That had even gone so far as to drag out all the old footage from the trail   
and Lawrence's many appeals. Photos from his childhood were being shown, telling the tragic tale of a   
boy who had lived a terrible life, only to die after finding happiness.  
  
She stood up and walked to her bag where she pulled out one of the sedatives she kept for Lucas   
when he had a nightmare and took it. She just wanted to sleep. Maybe if she slept long enough she would   
awake to find that this had all just been a terrible dream.  
  
_______________________________________________  
  
  
  
Nathan was out of Virginia and now halfway through West Virginia. He still didn't have a   
destination in mind, but felt content to just drive. The mountains and surrounding forests were beautiful,   
but he didn't take the time to notice. Instead he kept his eyes fixed to the painted lines on the road.   
  
Exhaustion was setting in and he finally stopped when he came to a small town nestled between two   
mountains. He drove down the main street and parked his bike at the only motel he saw.   
  
He paid for his room and took the key. He was glad to see that it was near the back. He parked   
his bike once again and removed the duffle bag from the back. It was going on three o'clock. He realized   
that Lucas hadn't even been gone for 24 hours yet. He went into the crappy little room and shut the door.   
He quickly closed the curtains, preferring the dark.   
  
He took off his leather jacket and tossed it over the chair. He unzipped his duffle and pulled out   
the picture of Lucas and his Marlins shirt. He set the picture on the bedside table, and holding the shirt like   
a child would a stuffed animal, he laid down and slept.  
  
________________________________________________  
  
  
  
For lack of anything better to do Lucas had fallen into a restless sleep. He woke with a start when   
someone shook him. He opened his eyes to see Cynthia looking at him, smiling like life was just perfect.   
  
Seeing her brought back everything that had happened and he found himself rolling away from her and   
starting to cry.  
  
"Lucas, sweetie, what's wrong?" Cynthia asked.  
  
"I want to go home," Lucas said. "Please let me go home."  
  
"Lucas, I can't do that. You know I can't. You'll get used to being here soon enough." She sat   
down next to him and started to play with his hair the way Kristin had in the video. She was shocked when   
Lucas jumped off the bed and moved away from her.  
  
"Don't touch me!" he yelled. "Don't you ever touch me!"  
  
"Lucas, I just want to help you to feel better."  
  
"I don't want your help. This is all your fault. You ruined everything! I hate you. I hate you so   
much. Go away! Leave me alone!"  
  
Cynthia stood up and walked over to him. This wasn't going the way she thought it would. She   
didn't know what she had expected, but this wasn't it. Truth was she didn't really know how to do this.   
She had never known how to be a mother. But still, she wanted to have what she saw in the video. She just   
needed to be patient, help Lucas to come around.  
  
"Lucas, please don't hate me. I'm not trying to hurt you, I just want us to be a family. I knew that   
I could never get you back if I went to court. I had no choice but to do it this way."  
  
"Why do you want me though? You never did before. You were glad to be rid of me. Why now   
are you doing this?"  
  
"I guess I just realized what I was missing out on. With your father in jail, and most everyone else   
has turned their backs on me, I guess I didn't want to be alone."  
  
"You didn't want to be alone!" Lucas cried. "Did it ever occur to you that I didn't want to be   
alone my whole life growing up, but I was. You and Dad were too busy socializing or working or flying   
around the country to be bothered to worry about some little kid sitting home alone day after day. Then   
you dumped in boarding schools and on University campuses so you wouldn't even have to worry about   
making sure my basic needs were met anymore. Not to mention that when you and Lawrence were around   
all that happened was I had the shit beat out of me."  
  
"Lucas I've already said that that wasn't my fault."  
  
"Yes it was. You could have stopped it. You could have tried to get custody during the divorce,   
but you let him have me. You let him have me knowing full well what he would do to me. Now you show   
up after not talking to me for over two years and you want to pretend that life is perfect and that I'm going   
to be your loving son. If you really believe that's going to happen then you're even crazier than Lawrence   
is."  
  
"Lucas, I know that you need time."  
  
"Time will never change how I feel for you. I will never love you, and I will never call you mom.   
You can never make up for what you've done, then and now."  
  
Cynthia tried to put her hand on his shoulder but was surprised when Lucas shoved her away,   
shoved her hard.  
  
"Fine, if that's the way you want it, so be it," she said. She pounded on the door and called for   
Dirk to let her out.  
  
  
  
Cynthia marched past him and went to her room and slammed the door. Why was Lucas being so   
difficult? Why couldn't he just except the way it was now? God, she had made a terrible mistake. What   
the hell was she supposed to do now?  
  
She couldn't just let Lucas go back to Captain Bridger. All the would happen from that is she   
would end up in a cell very much like Lawrence's. She wasn't cut out for prison life, thank you very much.   
She was stuck with the kid now. Jesus, she had made everything into a terrible mess. This was Lawrence's   
fault. He had manipulated her into doing this. If he had simply not stopped her alimony none of this would   
have happened. She had to give him credit though, he had done what he said. He had managed to make   
everyone just as miserable as he was, her included.  
  
A knock at the door broke her out of her reverie. She saw Dirk stick his head inside.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked.  
  
"No, I'm not. He hates me. He doesn't want anything to do with me, and now I'm stuck with   
him. It's not like I can send him back. I'll go to jail!" She started to cry.  
  
"Well, just for the record, the world already considers him to be dead," Dirk told her.  
  
She looked at him for a minute, startled by what he had said. "No," she gasped. "I can't do that. I   
can't kill my own son. I'm not a murderer."  
  
"Okay," Dirk replied. "But don't rule it out as an option. It doesn't have to be painful."  
  
"I just can't," Cynthia replied. "He's just a boy." But even as she said the words she realized that   
it might be her only way out of this. She'd wait and give Lucas a little more time, but if he was going to   
continue to treat her like this, then maybe…  
  
___________________________________________  
  
  
  
Lucas laid on his bed and cried. 'Dad, I need you. Please, I need you. I'm not dead. I need you   
to find me. Oh god, Dad, please come and find me."  
  
  
____________________________________________  
  
  
Nathan sat up with a jolt, still holding Lucas' Marlins shirt. Lucas needed him. He was calling   
out, begging for him to come find him. He stood up to go to him when he realized just what he was doing.   
He sat back down heavily on the bed and buried his face into the shirt. He couldn't help Lucas. It was too   
late for that, but the dream had felt so real. It was like he had actually heard Lucas talking in his head.  
  
This hadn't been the first time that had happened. There had been many times when he had   
simply sensed that Lucas needed him. He remembered the day in the launch bay, when he and Kristin were   
about to leave, and suddenly…suddenly he just knew that Lucas was still in his room, about to be left   
behind. Lucas was in so much pain that Nathan had felt it and knew to go to him.  
  
Then the same thing happened at the Salem Inn. He had been asleep, but he woke up knowing   
something was wrong. That was the night Lucas had been sleep walking on the beach.  
  
He understood what it was, he knew about his psi abilities. He had been somewhat aware of them   
even before Savannah had entered his head. For the most part they were completely untrained and useless,   
but Lucas seemed to be the one person that Nathan could "feel", especially when he was scared or hurting.   
  
"Oh, kiddo, I wish I could find you," Nathan said. "I wish it weren't too late. I miss you so   
much."  
  
  
_____________________________________________  
  
  
  
The next day Cynthia didn't take Lucas his breakfast. Instead Dirk opened the door and slid the   
tray across the floor to him and then quickly shut the door once again. 'So much for the loving mother   
routine,' Lucas thought to himself.  
  
He looked at the food longingly. He was starving. He had thrown away all the food yesterday,   
simply drinking water from the bathroom sink. He saw that breakfast today was just a muffin and a glass   
of milk. He figured Cynthia had used up all her cooking skills yesterday.  
  
He picked up the muffin and smelled it. He ripped it apart to see if it was wet anywhere, but it   
wasn't. He decided to eat the muffin, but he'd dump the milk down the drain. If something were going to   
be drugged, most likely it'd be the milk.  
  
He quickly devoured the muffin. He was still hungry but it'd have to do. He took the milk to the   
bathroom and poured it into the sink. Then he went back to his bed to wait since there was little else he   
could do. He was so bored. He wished he had someone to talk to.  
  
Several hours later his mother finally came. She stepped into the room with Dirk. Dirk was   
pushing in the TV once again.  
  
"I thought you might like to see this," Cynthia said. She turned on the TV. Lucas was shocked to   
find himself watching his own funeral. He saw the beach house and all his friends. They were all crying.   
Secretary Noyce was standing next to Kristin with am arm around her. His other arm was around his wife   
Janice. He looked and looked but he didn't see Dad anywhere.  
  
He was stunned to see Ben stand up and give the Eulogy. Ben had a real hard time talking as he   
was crying so much. Lucas couldn't believe how many flowers there were. For the next hour he watched   
as his friend stood up to recall happier times and share stories about him. It didn't take long for Lucas to   
start crying himself, seeing how much pain this was causing the people he loved. He didn't understand   
why Dad wasn't next to Kristin.   
  
He saw Kristin stand up to talk about him.  
  
  
"Lucas was one of the most incredible persons I've ever met. I didn't give birth to him, but he   
was my son anyway, and I loved him with all my heart. The past year and something that I've known him I   
consider to be some of the happiest times of my life. When I first met him, he was withdrawn and guarded.   
He had many secrets and past hurts, and he was afraid to get close. It was hard work, but Nathan and I   
managed to break down those walls, and inside we found a child who simply wanted to be loved. And love   
him we did. It seemed that everyone who ever met Lucas couldn't help but love him.  
  
His heart was one of the biggest I've ever seen. He gladly put the needs of others before his own,   
and would do almost anything to help another person. I know the media has made a big deal out of the fact   
that Lucas was so smart, but his life was about so much more than just that. He brought happiness to   
everyone who met him. He helped Nathan to overcome his own grief over the loss of his family, and he   
turned the seaQuest into a home for the rest of us. I will miss him and I will never forget him. Lucas, if   
you can hear me where you are now, know I love you, and I hope to see you again one day.   
  
I only wish Nathan were here to share his feelings with you, but unfortunately, he…he simply   
couldn't come today. Nathan, I don't know if you're watching this, but if you are, know that you don't   
have to go through this alone, that we are all waiting for you to come back to us."  
  
  
Lucas watched as Kristin slowly made her way back to her seat to be comforted once again by   
Bill. The realization of what Kristin had said sunk in and he finally understood why his Dad wasn't there.   
The Captain had gone into hiding again like he did after Robert and Carol. Lucas couldn't believe that he   
had been so upset that he had left Kristin.  
  
He looked at Cynthia and he felt such hatred for her. If Dirk wasn't in the room he'd probably   
attack her. He'd never wanted to hit a woman before, but he wanted very much to hit her. He realized that   
his feelings must have been clearly on his face as he saw her shift under his glare. He was making her   
nervous. Good.  
  
"As you can see," she said, "no one is going to come for you. You might as well get over it and   
just except that this is the way it is. This can either be a nice place to live, or it can be terrible, depending   
on how you behave."  
  
He wanted to tell her to go to hell, but he saw that Dirk was busy watching the TV and not paying   
much attention to the door. Lucas just acted, not even thinking about what he was doing. He bolted for the   
door and was out in a matter of a second, but he saw that Dirk was close behind him. He ran through the   
cottage to the front door. He had to unbolt the door and he felt Dirk grab his shirt as he was running out.   
Lucas didn't stop though. He jerked his body and the material pulled out of Dirk's fingers. He ran down   
the steps taking two at a time, but just as he reached the bottom his body was rammed into the ground.  
  
Dirk had literally jumped off the top stair and threw himself on top of Lucas, knocking him down   
face first into the gravel walk that led to the car port. Lucas collapsed under the man's weight and cried out   
as the gravel sunk into his skin. He still tried to break free but Dirk rolled him over and straddled him,   
pinning him to the ground. The man grabbed Lucas's flailing fists and pinned them down. The he pulled   
back and punched Lucas across his face.  
  
"Stop it kid, don't make me have to hurt you bad," Dirk said.  
  
Lucas continued to resist, earning him another punch for his efforts. He stopped struggling and   
simply lay there. Resisting would only get him beat up, and he couldn't fight Dirk and win. Dirk stood up   
and hoisted him up off the ground by his shoulder and dragged him back into the house. Lucas was led   
back to his room and once again bolted inside.  
  
In all the commotion they had left the TV in his room and it was still showing the funeral. Lucas   
laid back and began to sob once again.  
  
'I'm not dead. I'm not dead. I want to go home. Dad, where are you? I want to go home. I'm   
not dead.'  
  
  
________________________________________________  
  
  
  
Nathan sat in the little truck stop off the Pennsylvania Turn Pike trying to force himself to eat the   
food in front of him. The only reason he had really stopped was to watch Lucas' Memorial on the small   
TV set in the corner. He saw several customers look at his strangely as he wiped the tears from his face,   
but he hardly cared what they thought.  
  
It had been hard to watch Kristin and to listen to her plea for him to return. Part of him really did   
want to go back, but then part of him never wanted to be in that position ever again. He didn't want to love   
anyone anymore. It was too painful.  
  
He was about to take another bite of his burger when he heard it. "I'm not dead. Dad, where are   
you? I want to go home." Nathan actually dropped the burger on the floor as he stood up. He saw the   
waitress look at him.  
  
"Are you okay, sir?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah," he replied. He pulled out a ten and threw it down on the counter, then quickly walked out   
of the restaurant.   
  
He sat down on his bike trying to get himself under control. He hadn't simply heard Lucas in his   
head. He had actually felt him. Almost as if Lucas had reached out and touched him. He repeated the   
words to himself. "I'm not dead. Dad, where are you? I want to go home."  
  
This wasn't a dream. He was awake. This is insane. Could Lucas actually be talking to him?   
What if Lucas was still alive? They didn't find his body, and it had yet to wash up to shore. He had heard   
that much from the news report.  
  
Nathan found himself doing something he had never tried to do before. He sat on his bike and   
took several deep breaths. He forced himself to relax. He started to think of Lucas, getting an image of   
him in his head. Then he forced out his other thoughts, just concentrating on Lucas. He had no idea what   
he was doing, but he continued anyway. He just stayed still, breathing calmly letting thoughts of Lucas fill   
his mind, trying to reach out to the boy if that was possible.  
  
"Dad, I need you. Please come find me. Help me."  
  
Nathan gasped. "Oh my god," he exclaimed. He had heard him. He was sure of it. Lucas was   
alive, begging for him to find him. He couldn't explain it, but he knew that Lucas was in Pennsylvania. He   
figured that was why he could feel Lucas so strongly, where as yesterday it had simply felt like a dream.   
  
Now he just had to figure out how on earth he was going to find him, and how he was going to convince   
everyone that his son was still alive.  
  
He saw a pay phone at the edge of the parking lot. He quickly went over to make a call. He   
needed his crew.  
  
__________________________________________  
  
  
  
Cynthia paced back and forth outside of Lucas' room. His escape attempt had frightened her   
terribly. If he had escaped it would have only have been a matter of time before the police came for her to   
arrest her. She didn't want to go to jail. Maybe Dirk was right. She simply felt awful about it, though.   
Lucas hadn't asked for this to happen. It really wasn't his fault that he didn't want to be here.  
  
How could she have thought that this idea of hers ever would have worked. She must have been   
out of her mind at the time. She was just feeling lonely and useless, and that video of Lucas, the Captain,   
and the doctor just looked so wonderful. They looked so happy together that she had been consumed with   
jealousy. Still, why she thought Lucas would ever except her as a mother now after everything that had   
happened was beyond her. She knew the boy would never stop trying to escape. He was obsessed with   
one thing and one thing only, going back to those people.  
  
Dear god, was her only solution really to kill him, however. Surely there had to be another way   
out. Maybe she didn't have to actually kill him. Maybe she could just leave. Lucas could stay in his room   
and her and Dirk could just leave and never come back. The house was isolated, and it still belonged to   
Lawrence, so no one would be coming here anytime soon. Who knew when Lucas would be found. She   
realized that what she was planning would still result in the boy's death, but at least she wouldn't have to   
actually kill him herself, or have Dirk do it either. She would simply let time do it for her.   
  
Yes, that was exactly what she would do. Just leave. Lucas couldn't get out of the room as long   
as no one was around to open the door. She told Dirk to take the TV out of Lucas' room which he did.   
Then the two of them started packing. It was time to leave.  
  
_______________________________________  
  
  
  
Lucas was laying on his bed once again. He could get up and wash the blood of his face and   
hands where the gravel had cut him but he simply didn't care. The cuts weren't that serious so why bother.   
He heard noises from outside of his room and he wondered just what was going on.  
  
He was actually glad that they had taken the TV out of his room. He didn't need to see the rest of   
the news coverage. It was too painful to watch. He looked through the metal screening when he heard car   
doors opening and closing. He saw his mom and Dirk loading luggage into the car.   
  
For a minute he wondered what they were doing. Then he saw Dirk walk over to the house and do   
something. At that minute the light in his room went off. Dirk had turned off the power. Lucas suddenly   
realized what they were doing. They were leaving, and he was staying. He tried to see what else Dirk was   
doing but he was out of his line of sight. Then he saw Dirk walk over towards the car and get in. A   
moment later the car drove away.  
  
'My god,' he thought, 'they really left me here.'  
  
He quickly went to the bathroom to check for water. He turned on the faucets and nothing   
happened. He backed up until he hit the wall, then he slid down until he was sitting in the floor. He knew   
the body could survive weeks without food, but without water he'd be dead in three days. He looked in the   
toilet and saw that there was still water in there. While the thought of drinking that disgusted him, at least   
it was still there should he actually have to do it.  
  
He went to the room again. He had to find a way out of here. He tried the door again and he saw   
that there was no way in the world he'd be able to bust it down. That left just one thing. The windows. He   
ripped the curtains down and took another look at the bolts holding the screen in place. He saw that the   
bolts were the kind that didn't have a slit in them so there was no way to unscrew them. Maybe he could   
break the plaster away and rip the screen off the wall that way.  
  
He quickly looked around the room for something to use to chip away the plaster. There were no   
decorations or pictures in the room. Just the furniture. He pulled a drawer out of the dresser. Sure, this   
would work. He quickly began to smash the corner into the wall. Small bits of the plaster started to break   
away.  
  
_____________________________________________________  
  
  
  
Nathan was at the airport waiting for the others to arrive. It had taken him almost an hour before   
he was actually able to reach Tim O'Neill. He was the only one who had checked his messages after   
getting back from the Memorial. It had taken him another fifteen minutes to convince the man that   
everyone needed to fly to Pennsylvania to meet him.  
  
He was pretty sure that Tim thought he was nuts, and he wouldn't be surprised if they were only   
coming to drag him back to Virginia. But he was sure that Lucas was alive.  
  
He wondered how Kristin would react when she saw him. He wondered if she would even bother   
to come. He had abandoned her after all.  
  
He looked at his watch. He had been waiting for four hours, but the plane was due to arrive any   
minute. He tapped his foot impatiently. Finally he saw the plane pulling up to the terminal. Thank god,   
they were here. He got up and hurried to the gate to greet them.   
  
He watched the stewardess open the door and saw the passengers begin to depart. He saw Kristin   
and she started to run towards him. He opened his arms and embraced her.  
  
"Oh god, I thought I'd never see you again," she said.  
  
"I'm sorry I left, I…I just had to get out of there."  
  
"I know," she said.  
  
Nathan finally let go of her and looked at the others. They all looked concerned and just a little   
confused.  
  
"Please, come with me. I have to tell you something and I'm not sure if you are going to believe   
me once I do."  
  
He led them out of the airport and across the street to a Motel 6. He paid for a room so they would   
have somewhere private to talk.  
  
He sat at the small table with Kristin, Tim, and Jonathon, while Katie and Ben sat on the bed.  
  
"Katie, did you bring Lucas' laptop?"  
  
"Yes, sir," she replied.  
  
"Good. Okay, try and keep an open mind while I tell you this. I'm sure you remember when the   
psychics came on board when we discovered the Library of Alexandria. Well, I had suspected even before   
then, but Savannah confirmed for me that I have some psi abilities. I'm not saying I'm a psychic, and no I   
can't tell you your future. It's just that sometimes things pop in my head. Unfortunately, my abilities are   
untrained and for the most part absolutely useless. Today was the first time I actually managed to use it on   
purpose."  
  
"What happened?" Kristin asked, wishing he would get to the point.  
  
"For some reason there has always been one person who I have been able to sense or feel when he   
was in trouble."  
  
"Lucas," Kristin supplied. She remembered the times when Nathan just seemed to know   
something was up and went looking for the boy.  
  
"Yes, Lucas," Nathan continued. "Yesterday I was in West Virginia. I didn't have any place in   
mind when I left, just to drive and see where I ended up. Yesterday, though, I was at a hotel sleeping, and I   
woke up suddenly having heard Lucas calling for me. I thought it was a dream, but let me tell you it had   
been a very realistic dream."  
  
"What did he say?" Tim asked. Having been the one person that Darwin sometimes talked to he   
understood what the Captain was saying.  
  
"He was begging me to find him, saying he wanted to go home. But like I said, I thought it was a   
dream. Today I got here, and I was at a diner watching Lucas' Memorial. I was wide awake when I heard   
Lucas crying, saying he wasn't dead, that he wanted to go home. It scared the hell out of me when it   
happened. I left the restaurant and went to my bike.   
  
"It had been different this time, though. I didn't just hear Lucas in my head, I actually felt him,   
like he had laid his hand on me or something. I forced myself to relax and try to make it happen again. It   
took a bit of focusing and waiting, but then it did. I hope you all don't think I'm crazy when I tell you that   
Lucas is alive. He's alive and waiting for us to come and find him."  
  
He looked at his crew waiting to see what their reaction would be.  
  
"Where do we start looking?" Ben said. "How do we find him?"  
  
"Do you think it's section seven who took him?" Kristin asked.  
  
Nathan smiled. They believed him.   
  
"No, I don't think it's section seven. I have it on good authority that they were out of Lucas' life,   
not to mention that Bill put out the word the there would be hell to pay if any attempt to go after Lucas was   
made. So it has to be something else. I need you guys to think. Has anything weird happened lately. Did   
Lucas mention something, a threat, a strange e-mail, I don't care."  
  
"Nathan," Kristin exclaimed, "the only thing strange that happened was Cynthia Wolenczak   
coming to our house."  
  
"Why the hell did she come to your house?" Jonathon asked.  
  
"She said she wanted to visit Lucas," Kristin said.   
  
"She was very upset when we told her to get lost," Nathan added.  
  
"Well, it probably didn't help when I pushed her off the dock," Kristin continued.  
  
"You pushed her off the dock?" Ben exclaimed, not that he was really surprised. Kristin had a hell   
of a temper when it came to Lucas.  
  
"I sort of lost my temper," Kristin said confirming his thoughts.  
  
"So, you think Lucas is in Pennsylvania, but why would she bring him here?" Miguel said.  
  
"That's what we have to find out," Nathan replied. "Once we do, then we'll be able to find Lucas."  
  
"I'll hook up the laptop, start looking for connections that she might have here. It may take a   
while, though, this is more of a job for Lucas," Katie said.  
  
"Nathan, have you tried again to sense Lucas?" Kristin asked.  
  
"Yeah, in the airport, but I think there was too many distractions to be able to do it. Like I said, I   
don't really know how to control it."  
  
"How about if I help you," Kristin replied.  
  
"Fine, anything that helps us to find him."  
  
  
_______________________________________  
  
  
  
Lucas tossed the drawer down on the floor. He had managed to bust all the plaster away but he   
was no closer to getting out of his prison. Under the plaster he found that the metal screen had been bolted   
into metal casings for the windows. A wooden drawer wasn't going to bust threw that.  
  
He sat down on the bed. He was tired, not to mention hungry and thirsty. He thought about the   
toilet and decided that he still wasn't that thirsty yet. He was suddenly struck by the irony of the situation.   
Hadn't his mother left him in this same position when he was six years old. Of course her almost starving   
him to death back then had been an accident. This time his starving to death was something she was   
actually counting on.  
  
He knew his mother had never really loved him, and he still didn't understand why she had   
kidnapped him, but never in his life would he have thought that she'd kill him, or in this case, leave him to   
die, locked in a room, all alone.  
  
The sun was starting to set and he realized that he was not only trapped in here, but that he had no   
lights, so he was going to be in the dark also. He didn't know why, but he found himself suddenly getting   
up to change into pajamas. The clothes he was wearing were all dusty anyway. Maybe he could change   
and try to make himself comfortable and sleep until the morning, when the sun came back up. It would be   
for the best, plus he would conserve his strength that way.  
  
After putting on his pajamas he went to the bathroom and used a towel to wipe the grit off his   
face. The room was getting very dark now. He had to use the bathroom, but he couldn't go in the toilet   
since that was all the water he had. He walked over to the tub and did his business there. Then he went to   
the bed and crawled under the covers.  
  
He tried to force himself to relax but the truth was he was scared. He was trapped with no food   
and a limited amount of water, and no one was looking for him since he was already dead. He wondered   
what everyone else was doing. He suddenly wished he had the TV back so he could at least see his loved   
ones on the screen, even if they were in morning for him.  
  
He missed his mom and dad the most. He hoped that were ever his Dad was that he was okay. He   
hated that his Dad was in so much pain because of him. That they were all so upset because of him.  
  
"Dad, Mom, I love you," Lucas said, a tear falling down his face.  
  
_____________________________________  
  
  
  
'I love you,' Nathan heard. It was Lucas. He heard him again. He continued to relax and feel for   
the boy. He was in a state of deep relaxation. Kristin had worked with him to help him get to this state,   
almost using a form of hypnosis with him. He wasn't really hypnotized, but just very peaceful, allowing   
his mind to open to Lucas.  
  
He knew Lucas was thinking of him and Kristin. He was lonely, and…and afraid. He could feel   
Lucas drifting off. The boy was going to sleep where ever he was. Suddenly for the first time ever, Nathan   
began to see images take shape. He could still feel Lucas like he had before, but the pictures in his mind   
was something new, and a bit frightening.  
  
He saw Lucas' room on seaQuest, and there sitting in the floor playing on his computers was   
Lucas himself. Nathan felt his heart fill with joy at the sight of the boy. He walked over to him and put a   
hand on his shoulder. Lucas looked up at him and smiled.  
  
"Dad, what are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm looking for you," Nathan told him.  
  
____________________________________  
  
  
  
Kristin was startled. Nathan was talking to someone, and it wasn't her. She saw that he was   
smiling. She assumed he must be talking to Lucas.  
  
____________________________________  
  
  
"Dad, I miss you. I want to come home."  
  
"I want that too, but I need to know where you are?"  
  
Lucas was about to respond when suddenly the dream began to change. Nathan watched as   
Lucas' room turned into a different room. He saw that Lucas was getting younger too. The boy now   
looked to be about seven, but it was definitely Lucas. Nathan would recognize those blue eyes anywhere.   
  
Loud footsteps could be heard and Nathan watched as Lucas ducked into the closet next to the bed.   
He turned to see a large wooden door slam open and Lawrence Wolenczak stepped into the room.  
  
"Lucas!" Lawrence yelled. "Don't you hide from me!" Lawrence began to look around the room   
for Lucas. Nathan stepped to intervene but the image of Lawrence passed right through him as if he   
weren't even there. Nathan was powerless to do anything as he watch Lawrence open the closet door and   
drag Lucas from it.   
  
"No Daddy, no please. Daddy don't hurt me," the small child cried.  
  
"I told you never to touch my things, didn't I. But you didn't listen. You took my phone apart   
and now it doesn't work."  
  
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to see how it worked," the seven year old Lucas told him. Lawrence   
tossed him on to the bed and pulled his belt out of his pants. Nathan watched as Lawrence whipped the boy   
over and over across his bottom.   
  
"Stop!" Nathan cried, "Leave him alone you bastard!"  
  
Lawrence didn't hear though, he just continued to spank the boy. When he finally stopped Lucas   
lay on his bed sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
"Now get up!" Lawrence yelled.  
  
Nathan watched as Lucas struggled to get out of the bed. Both men noticed that Lucas had wet his   
pants. Not only was his pants soaked, but so was the blanket on the bed.  
  
"Damn it, how many times do I have to tell you not to wet yourself." Lawrence backhanded the   
boy and sent him flying across the room. He stepped over and lifted him up and slapped him again.  
  
"Daddy, please stop it. Daddy I'm sorry, I'll be good, I promise, I'll be good," Lucas cried.  
  
"Stop being a big baby," Lawrence yelled.  
  
Nathan had to watch as Lucas was shoved to the floor and then kicked in his head. The small   
child finally fell unconscious.   
  
"Worthless piece of shit," Lawrence said and walked out of the room.  
  
Nathan went to Lucas side and caressed the cheek of the boy. He was out cold. Nathan picked the   
child up and held him in his arms. He walked out of the room carrying Lucas. He walked down a long   
hallway that ended with several rooms on either side and a door in front. He shifted Lucas in his arms and   
then unlocked the door and walked outside carrying him. He saw that the house was located in the woods.   
  
He turned around to see a pretty two story cottage in front of him. To the left was a lake that shimmered as   
the sun glistened off the water.  
  
He felt the child in his arms grow heavy and he looked to see that Lucas was now fifteen again.   
  
The boy looked at him sadly and said, "I always hated coming here in the summers with my father. It   
always felt like a prison."  
  
"Lucas, where is this place? Is this where you're at? You have to tell me so I can help you."  
  
"Please come get me," Lucas said.  
  
Nathan could feel that the connection was ending. Lucas was slipping away from him. He tried to   
hold on to him, willing Lucas to stay with him, but for some reason he couldn't hold it any longer.  
  
Nathan sat up in the bed, startling Kristin half to death.  
  
"Nathan, are you alright? What happened?"   
  
"I saw Lucas, I talked to him. He's…he's at the summer house."  
  
"Where's that at?" Kristin asked.  
  
"I don't know. I just know that he's there. Wolenczak must still own the place. We should be   
able to get the address somehow."  
  
"What happened in your vision or what ever it was. Who were you yelling at?"  
  
"Lawrence. I think Lucas is asleep. I think I watched one of his nightmares. I saw when Lucas   
was about seven being beat by his father. Kristin, if what I saw was really one of Lucas' memories, god   
what that poor boy went through as a child." He raised a shaking hand to his face and wiped his brow.  
  
"Are you really okay?" she asked again.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, but I don't think I ever want to do that again. It's one thing to feel when Lucas needs   
me, but to actually…see…his nightmares, its…its more than I can handle."  
  
Kristin reached over and hugged him. She could sympathize with him. She knew about Lucas'   
past, but she honestly did not want to have to see the beatings either. Nathan was still trembling softly,   
upset from what he had seen and powerless to change it.  
  
"I want you to lie down and get some rest," she told him. "You look absolutely exhausted. You   
won't be any good to Lucas if your so tired you can't think straight any longer."  
  
"I think your right," he said. He saw that Kristin was about to turn the light off. "No, leave it on,"   
he said. He suddenly found that he didn't want to be in the dark.  
  
_______________________________________  
  
  
Lucas woke from his nightmare, but instead of feeling afraid he found that he wanted to actually   
go back to sleep. His Dad had been there with him, holding him. He said that he was looking for him. He   
knew it was just a dream, but he wanted to believe it so desperately. He closed his eyes but already the   
images of his Dad were fading away, leaving him feeling empty.  
  
His stomach rumbled loudly. He was so hungry. He stood up and slowly walked to the bathroom.   
The moon was casting just enough light for him to see the outlines of things. He stepped over to the toilet.   
  
He was so thirsty. He took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair. He felt along the sink top for   
his cup that he used to brush his teeth. He picked it up and dipped it into the toilet, filling it up. He   
pinched his nose closed and quickly drank down some of the water, but stopped when he began to gag.   
  
The water didn't taste bad, it was just knowing where it had come from that was threatening to make his   
retch. He put the cup on the sink but didn't pour out the water that was in it. He didn't know how long he   
was going to be here.  
  
He walked back to his bed and laid down. He was so alone. He cried himself back to sleep.  
  
  
_______________________________________  
  
  
  
The next morning Nathan woke early, ready to get everyone started in the search for Lucas. The   
boy had been gone now for three days. The last time he had been separated that long form his was when he   
had gone to World Power, only to call Nathan to come help him cause his dad had beat him.  
  
He walked into the adjoining room where the rest of the crew was. He saw Katie was also already   
up and searching the internex for information.  
  
"Katie, I need you to look for properties that are in Lawrence or Cynthia Wolenczak's name. It's   
in a rural area, by a lake somewhere."  
  
"Is that where Lucas is?" she asked.  
  
"I think so. Do you think you can find it?"  
  
"I can try," she said.  
  
Nathan went back to his room to take a shower and shave for the first time in three days. He was   
going to find Lucas today. He was sure of it.  
  
______________________________________  
  
  
  
Lucas woke slowly. He didn't feel good. His stomach hurt terribly and his head was pounding.   
He was so hungry. He had now had only one small muffin in three days. He stood up slowly and walked   
to the bathroom. He was very dizzy and light headed. Just like last night he did his business in the bathtub.   
  
He grabbed his cup off the sink and put it in the toilet. This morning he didn't seem to care about where   
the water had come from. He drank two cups of it before putting the cup back on the sink.  
  
He thought about getting dressed, and then decided why bother. He was getting weak, he knew.   
He picked up the drawer and walked over to the wall. He began to hit the wall with the drawer corner.   
Maybe could bust through it. After several hits he finally cracked the plaster. He continued to hit it   
making the whole in the plaster bigger and bigger. He used his fingers to help pull the plaster away.  
  
An hour later he had bashed away a large part of the plaster and was now working on breaking   
through the wood that was under it. The wood wasn't going to break as easily, but he wasn't going to give   
up.  
  
____________________________________  
  
  
  
Nathan and Kristin were both pacing the room. Katie had yet to find a residence belonging to   
either Wolenczak and even a police search didn't turn up any properties belonging to either of them.   
  
Nathan didn't understand it. Lucas said he was at the summer house. He was sure that the house would   
have belonged to one of them. He just didn't understand. If only Lucas had told him more in the dream.  
He looked at his watch. It was going on one in the afternoon. He had hoped to have already have   
found him by now. Nathan Bridger was know for many things, but patience wasn't one of them.  
  
"Kristin," he said, "I want you to do it again. Help me to contact Lucas."  
  
"Are you sure," she said. "It really upset you last night."  
  
"I have to. This is getting no where."  
  
"Alright," she said. "I need you two to leave us alone," she told Jonathon and Ben. The two men   
nodded and left the room.  
  
Nathan laid down on the bed and Kristin sat in a chair next to him. She began to talk him through   
the relaxation technique again. He listened to her voice and did as she told, but after several minutes he   
still couldn't feel Lucas.  
  
"It's not working," he complained.  
  
"That's because you're not really relaxing. Your too tense. Let's try again."  
  
They worked for an hour trying to make Nathan's psi abilities kick in and work, but still nothing   
was happening.   
  
"Nathan, I'm going to go into the other room and just leave you alone. Just lay here and try to   
calm down. Don't force it, but let it happen."  
  
"Fine," Nathan said.  
  
  
___________________________________  
  
  
  
Lucas set the drawer down and sat on the bed. He had been working for hours and had made some   
progress, but it was still going to be a long time before he finally busted all the way through the wall. He   
had a small hole made in the wood about the size of his fist, but then he saw that there was insulation, and   
then another layer of wood and plaster to break through.   
  
Lucas went back to the bed to lay down for a bit. He was exhausted and his arms hurt from   
continually swinging them with the drawer held in his grasp.  
  
'I don't want to die here,' Lucas thought to himself. He couldn't give up trying to break out. "I'm   
not going to die here," Lucas said out loud.  
  
____________________________________________  
  
  
'I don't want to die here.'  
  
"Lucas, where are you? Just tell me and I'll come get you." He didn't get a response from the   
boy. "Of course, he's not asleep," Nathan said to himself. When he communicated with Savannah he had   
been asleep, and then last night when he had seen and talked to Lucas the boy had been asleep. Damn, that   
meant he'd have to wait until tonight for Lucas to go to sleep before he could try to get more information.   
And even then he would have to interpret what ever dream Lucas had.  
  
He had to hope that the police or Katie came up with something.  
  
__________________________________________  
  
  
Lucas had worked on and off an the wall most of the day. He looked out to see that the sun was   
setting again. Soon it would be dark. He was going to spend another night here. He had to stop working   
now. He was too tired to continue. His hands hurt terribly. They had splinters in them from where he had   
repeatedly pulled at the boards in the wall once he had chipped away at them enough to make them weak   
enough for him to pull on out.  
  
He was sweaty form working so he grabbed a clean pair of pajamas and once again wiped his face   
with the dry towel. He had a cup of water and then went to bed. Tomorrow he'd be free. He'd work hard   
tomorrow and finish breaking through the wall. Then he'd turn the power back on and call home. Home.   
God he wanted to go home so bad. Soon, he told himself. Just have to keep working.  
  
______________________________________  
  
  
  
Nathan could feel Lucas thinking about home. Once again he was on the bed reaching out to the   
boy, waiting for him to drift asleep. He was alone this time, telling Kristin that he thought he could try it   
by himself.  
  
He had controlled his breathing and done the relaxation technique than he now had become   
familiar with. He sighed when he saw the pictures begin to form in his mind once again. Fuzzy at first but   
then becoming clearer until he saw that he was standing in the living room of the beach house. Lucas was   
laying on the sofa watching TV. Nathan looked at the TV and saw that Lucas was watching his Memorial   
Service on CNN.  
  
"I'm not dead," Lucas said, looking at Nathan.  
  
"I know," Nathan said. "Lucas, I know your at the summer house, but where is it? Who owns it?   
There isn't a house in Pennsylvania owned by a Wolenczak."  
  
Nathan watched as the house changed and once again he was in the house of Lucas' dreams. He   
looked at Lucas to see this time that he was just a boy of about four.  
  
"Grandma's going to be here soon," Lucas squealed. He ran to the door when he heard the car   
pull up to the house.   
  
"Grandma!" Lucas shouted when a sweet old lady walked into the house, followed by Lawrence.  
  
"Hello, there, little one," she said sweetly.  
  
Nathan noticed that the woman walked with a limp and she looked very tired.  
  
"Grandma, will you play with me?"  
  
"Not now, honey. I'm afraid that I don't feel very well."  
  
"Lucas, I want you to go into the other room," Lawrence ordered.  
  
"But Daddy."  
  
"Go right now," Lawrence said, raising a hand.   
  
Lucas turned and ran, ducking into the kitchen. Nathan followed the little boy into the kitchen and   
watched as he hid under the table.  
  
"Lucas, is this your grandma's house?" Nathan asked.  
  
"Shh, don't talk or you'll get yelled at," Lucas warned him. "Daddy's mad. He hurts people   
when he gets mad."  
  
Nathan could hear Lucas' grandma arguing with Lawrence in the other room.  
  
"You need to get help," Grandma said. "What you do to that boy is wrong and you know it."  
  
"Mother, you need to mind your own business," Lawrence yelled. "I'll raise my son the way I see   
fit. I must be doing something right, his IQ scores are off the chart."  
  
"You beat him. There is nothing right about that."  
  
Nathan stepped out of the kitchen and into the hall way. He watched the old woman walk up the   
stairs with Lawrence right behind her.  
  
"Mother, you will stay out of this."  
  
"No I won't," Lucas' Grandma replied. "Lawrence, if I see you hit that child one more time I will   
call the authorities. I don't want to put my own child in jail, but so help me god I will."  
  
"You'd ruin me, my career, my reputation, my life!"  
  
"Yes, to protect the sweet little boy, I'd do all of those things."  
  
Nathan was shocked when Lawrence slapped his mother. She lost her balance at the top of the   
stairs and suddenly fell down them, landing with a sickening thud at the bottom.  
  
"Mother!" Lawrence cried. He raced down the stairs to check on her, but the angle of her neck   
made it pretty clear that she was dead.  
  
A soft sobbing sound made both Nathan and Lawrence look. There was Lucas, staring at his dead   
Grandmother, crying softly to himself.   
  
"Why did you hurt Grandma?" the child asked innocently.   
  
"You shut up," Lawrence yelled. He walked over and picked up the boy and shook him violently.   
  
"You are to never talk about this, do you hear me. NEVER!"  
  
Lucas cried a little louder.  
  
"Lucas, I swear, if you tell anyone about this you will live to regret it. It was an accident, but if   
you talk about it bad things will happen. People will come, take you away, do bad things to you, do you   
understand?"  
  
"Yes," Lucas whispered quietly, still crying softly.  
  
Nathan watched as once again the dream changed. He found himself standing in front of a grave.   
The tombstone read Mary Shusta, 1932-2008. He was surprised when he saw his Lucas standing next to   
him.   
  
"She was the only person who ever loved me when I was little, and he killed her because of it,"   
Lucas said.  
  
"Lucas, is she the person who owned the house your in. Tell me where you're at," Nathan begged.   
  
Suddenly the images faded and Nathan found himself alone in his hotel room once again. He jumped up   
out of the bed and went to the other room where everyone was huddled together talking softly.  
  
"Mary Shusta," Nathan said. "The house belonged to her." He saw as Jonathon picked up the   
phone to call the police once again, and Katie turned and entered the name into the Internex to see what she   
could find.  
  
'Please god, let this be the piece of the puzzle that let's us find Lucas,' he prayed.  
  
____________________________________  
  
  
  
Lucas opened his eyes the next morning and he couldn't believe how weak he felt. He was   
completely drained. The aching hunger in his stomach was terrible. He turned his head to look at the wall.   
Still so much work. He slowly stood up off the bed only to have a dizzy spell hit him and make him sit   
back down on it to keep from falling. He needed to rest more he decided. Maybe with a bit more rest he   
would be able to get up and work on the wall. He laid back down on the bed.  
  
For the first time he felt really afraid that maybe he wasn't going to get out of here. If he was too   
weak to break through the wall then he really was going to die in this room. 'I'll just rest for an hour, and   
then I have to get up and get to work. I'm just so tired. Oh what I'd give for a pizza. A large one with   
pepperoni and mushrooms. Oh, and corn dogs. Corn dogs would be so good right now. No, no, better yet,   
I wish I had Mom's fried chicken. Fried chicken and potatoes with gravy, and stuffing, tons and tons of   
stuffing, and hot rolls. Lucas rolled over letting thoughts of food lull him back to sleep.  
  
  
___________________________________  
  
  
  
Nathan wasn't even trying to contact Lucas but thoughts of food entered his head. Lucas was   
starving, Nathan realized. He jumped when the phone rang. He watched as Jonathon picked it up and   
quickly wrote something down.  
  
"We've got an address," he yelled. "It's in a town about two hours away."  
  
"Then let's go," Nathan yelled. He watched as everyone scrambled to get ready and Ford pulled   
out the map to plan the quickest route to the town. In under ten minutes everyone was out the door and   
ready to go find Lucas.  
  
  
________________________________  
  
  
  
Lucas woke once again feeling even worse than he had before. He got out of the bed and walked   
slowly to the bathroom where he drank a cup of water. He saw that the water in the bowl was getting very   
low. He only had about three cups left and then it would be gone. He'd have to not drink any more today,   
that way he'd have a cup for the next three days.   
  
He walked back to the bedroom and picked up the drawer. He took a deep breath and hit it into   
the wall. He repeated the action about a dozen more times before he had to stop. He suddenly got dizzy   
and fell to the floor, dropping the drawer with a loud thump.  
  
Lucas realized that there was no way he could break through the wall in this condition. He'd gone   
four days without food and was only having about two to three cups of water a day. Now that was down to   
one a day. He got up and walked to the window. He looked longingly outside. It was a beautiful day out   
there. The sun was shining, the wind was blowing, the leaves were rustling, and he was trapped in this   
room, starving, drinking toilet water.  
  
He felt himself giving up. No one was coming and he wasn't going to get out. It looked like that   
Memorial Service hadn't been for nothing after all, it had just been a week early is all. He walked back to   
the bed and laid down. 'Sleep, just go to sleep,' he told himself.  
  
  
___________________________________  
  
  
  
They had been driving for three hours already, having gotten lost once. So many of the mountain   
roads didn't have signs or anything marking them. They almost drove past the house when Nathan yelled.  
  
"That's it!"  
  
"How do you know?" Kristin asked.  
  
"Trust me, I know," Nathan replied. He remembered the outside of the house very clearly.   
  
They pulled the car up to the front of the house and quickly got out. Nathan raced up the porch   
and tried the door. It was locked. He walked down the steps again and picked up a decorative stone from   
the small flower bed and broke the front window with it.  
  
"Man, this better be the right house or we're in a lot of trouble," Miguel said.  
  
Nathan carefully broke away the rest of the glass and then stepped through it. The furniture was   
different, but he recognized the house immediately. This was definitely it.  
  
"Lucas!" Nathan called. "Lucas." He started to search the house. He saw Jonathon come through   
the window and then open the door for everyone else. Nathan walked down the hallway to the back   
bedroom that he remembered from the dream. He saw a big wooden door with a bolt lock on it. He turned   
the lock and slowly opened the door.   
  
"Lucas," he gasped. He flew to the bed to check on the boy. He sat on the bed and felt his face.   
It was warm and he saw that he was breathing. "Oh thank god. Lucas, Lucas can you hear me?" He shook   
him slightly.  
  
Lucas slowly opened his eyes and looked at his Dad. "Are you real?" he asked, not believing that   
he was really seeing his Dad next to him.  
  
"Yes, I'm real," Nathan said and pulled Lucas into a hug.  
  
"Dad, you came," Lucas said, feeling the pressure of his Dad's arms wrapped around him. "I   
prayed you would."  
  
"I know, I heard you," Nathan said, still holding him.  
  
Kristin shoved her way into the room and was shocked to see Lucas in Nathan's arms. "Oh my   
god," she exclaimed. She walked to the bed afraid to believe that Lucas was really there. Even though   
Nathan had told her the boy was still alive, part of her hadn't really believed him, was simply humoring   
him. But there he was, alive.  
  
She sat down on the bed next to them. Lucas turned to look at her.  
  
"Hi, mom," he whispered.  
  
"Oh, Lucas," Kristin said and then started to cry. She wrapped her arms around both Nathan and   
Lucas.  
  
The rest of the crew was also in shock. Of all of them only O'Neill had really believed that the   
Captain was actually talking to Lucas in his dreams. They all focused their attention once again when they   
saw the Captain lift Lucas out of the bed and carry him to the doorway.   
  
Lucas held weakly to his Dad's neck. It was over. His Dad had come for him after all. He rested   
his head against the man's shoulder and let himself drift off once again.  
  
  
______________________________________  
  
  
  
When next Lucas woke he found himself in a hospital bed. He quickly looked around and was   
relieved to see his Mom and Dad sitting next to the bed dozing. He saw that an IV had been stuck in his   
arm.  
  
"Dad," Lucas rasped. His mouth felt like sand paper.  
  
Nathan sat up and looked at Lucas. "Hey, kiddo, how you doing?"  
  
"Can I have something to drink?"  
  
"Sure," Nathan poured a glass of water from the pitcher next to Lucas' bed and helped him sit up   
to drink it. Lucas downed the whole cup, grateful to not be drinking toilet water. When the cup was empty   
Nathan laid him back down in the bed.  
  
Lucas looked at him thoughtfully and said, "You were in my dreams. I mean, it was a dream, but   
I didn't dream you did I? You came into them from somewhere else. You knew that I was still alive."  
  
"Yeah, not at first, but as I got closer to you I began to feel you and I knew that you were out there   
somewhere, waiting for me to come get you."  
  
"I hoped you'd come, but when I saw the funeral on TV, that everyone thought I was dead, I   
didn't believe that it would really happen."  
  
"Lucas, how did this happen? Who took you exactly?"  
  
"When I was in the water, a man, his name is Dirk, he came up under me and injected me with   
some drug. I felt him swimming away, towing me with him, but I couldn't do anything to stop it. But the   
person behind it all was Cynthia. She's gone nuts as far as I can tell. She wanted us to be a family all of a   
sudden. She kept asking for me to give her another chance, that in time I'd forgot about you. I told her I   
could never love her. Then I tried to escape. That was when they left me in that room and drove away with   
out so much as a backwards glance. She…she left me to die there. She didn't have the guts to actually kill   
me herself so she just left."  
  
"How many days had you been in that room?" Nathan asked.  
  
"Four," Lucas replied.  
  
"You had no food or water for four days," Nathan said, shocked that Lucas was still alive.  
  
"I had water," Lucas said. "I drank out of the toilet. I'd probably be dead if I hadn't. Dad, make   
sure I'm not alone. I don't want to be alone if she comes back to finish the job. I'm sure that she and Dirk   
will want to make sure I stay quiet when word spreads that I'm still alive."  
  
"Don't worry, we'll have around the clock security watching you. She isn't going to get near you   
ever again."  
  
"Dad, you're psychic aren't you? That's how you entered my dreams. That's how you always   
seem to know when I need you. I remember Savannah mentioning something about it."  
  
"Yeah, I guess I am a little bit psychic, but for some reason it only seems to work on you. You're   
the only person I've ever sensed before besides Savannah. It's like sometimes I can hear you talking in my   
head. But I have to say that it was weird going in your dreams, and a little scary too. Those dreams, did   
that really happen?"  
  
"Uh huh. My dreams are almost always memories. But you know, I had actually forgotten that   
Lawrence killed Grandma. How do you forget something like that?"  
  
"It's called repressed memories," Nathan said. "Children do it when the memories are so bad that   
they literally choose not to remember them anymore."  
  
Lucas nodded. "Dad, I don't suppose I could get something to eat? I'm starving?"  
  
"I'll talk to the doctor, get a tray of food up here."  
  
"No, not hospital food. I want real food. McDonalds would be awesome," Lucas said.  
  
"I'm not sure if McDonalds is real food but I think it can be arranged. I'll send Ben to go get   
some. What do you want?"  
  
"One of everything," Lucas replied, slowly closing his eyes once again.   
  
Nathan just smiled. He stepped into the hallway to talk to the others.  
  
"How is he?" Ben asked.  
  
"He was just awake and he's okay. I need a volunteer to go get him McDonalds. He's starving   
and he doesn't want hospital food."  
  
"Can't say I blame him," Tim laughed. "I'll go."  
  
"Me too," Ben said.   
  
"Great, just buy a bunch of stuff so we can all eat," Nathan said, handing them some money. Then   
he looked at Jonathon and Katie.  
  
"Lucas said that Cynthia Wolenczak did this, she had someone named Dirk helping her.   
Apparently when she realized that Lucas wasn't going to play along with the happy family routine she left   
him to die in that room."  
  
"Happy family routine?" Katie said, confused.  
  
"Lucas said that she actually thought they could be a family again," Nathan said.  
  
"Is that why she showed up a couple of weeks ago?" Kristin asked, walking into the hallway.  
  
"I'm not sure. I want to make sure that Lucas is never left completely alone. When word gets out   
that he's alive who knows what she will do to cover her actions."  
  
Everyone nodded in agreement with that.  
  
___________________________________  
  
  
  
Lucas felt good. He had eaten twice now and had kept both meals down, his fluids were back up,   
and he was well rested. He looked out the window to see that it was getting dark outside. He really wanted   
to go home. He'd even asked Mom to try to get him released, but she agreed with the doctor that he should   
stay till morning.  
  
He looked at the hallway and saw that Ben and Tim were guarding the door, and Mom and Dad   
were still with him in the room. Mom was sleeping on the other bed while Dad sat in a chair next to his   
bed. The others had gone to the hotel but Jonathon and Miguel were going to come in the middle of the   
night to let Ben and Tim go get some sleep.  
  
Lucas had spent two hours talking to the police, telling them everything that had happened. He   
thought they'd never finish asking their questions. Some how the press had found out that he was alive and   
at the hospital. From his window he could see at least six different news crews staking out the place,   
waiting to get their next big story.  
  
Lucas started channel surfing on the small TV and stopped when he came to one of the news   
stations. He saw a reported standing in front of his hospital talking to the anchor man. It hadn't taken long   
for the world to be informed of his rescue. He saw pictures of his mother on the TV screen with the anchor   
telling that the police were still searching for her and that she seemed to have gone into hiding.  
  
The police had asked Lucas if he knew where she would go. He honestly didn't have a clue. He   
really didn't know much of anything about her life or the company she kept. He still wondered just why   
this happened. What on earth had possessed her to do something like this. His mother had always been   
passive, content to let Lawrence control all of the action. Suddenly he thought of something.  
  
"Dad, do you think that Lawrence had something to do with this?"  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked. "He's in jail."  
  
"I know, but I'm still trying to figure out just what went on with her. I mean, unless she really did   
go insane, what she did just wasn't something that she would have done before. I just don't get it."  
  
"Well, it won't be too difficult to check to see who Lawrence's visitors have been recently and to   
check the prison phone records. If she was working with him we should be able to figure it out."  
  
  
__________________________________  
  
  
  
Lawrence sat in his room watching the little nine inch TV that was in the corner. The prison only   
got four channels, but one of them was CNN, and he had heard that Lucas was alive and well resting in a   
Pennsylvania hospital, his family and friends by his side. Lawrence wanted to scream at the top of his   
lungs. He should have known that Cynthia would have fucked the whole thing up.  
  
Now the police were looking for her, literally doing a nationwide search for her. Lawrence knew   
that if they caught her she'd rat him out in an instant to cut a deal. He had been sentenced to six to twelve   
years. He had no intention of serving the full twelve. It was time to call Dirk and have the problem of his   
ex-wife taken care of.  
  
It would mean paying Dirk an extra $20,000, but at least he'd never have to give that cold hearted   
bitch another penny in alimony. He sat down on his bed to start plotting he new scheme to take down   
Bridger and his worthless no good son.  
  
  
_________________________________  
  
  
  
Two days later Lucas was relaxing on the sofa watching a movie. He was sick of the TV since the   
story of his life seemed to be the only thing on it anymore. He couldn't wait for the media frenzy to die   
down.  
  
He also looked forward to Kristin leaving him alone again. He felt fine, but she insisted that he   
take a week off of work and that he get plenty and plenty of rest. She also watched everything he ate and   
made sure he ate enough. It was a pain, but he knew she only did it because she loved him. Still, he   
couldn't wait to go play volley ball with his friends again.  
  
He looked around the room. It was filled with balloons and flowers from his friends and other   
crew members from seaQuest. Secretary Noyce had sent him a basket with ten new computer games in it,   
two of which hadn't even been released to the public yet.   
  
He had also gotten a gift from Nana. She had over night mailed him several batches of cookies   
along with a giant teddy bear. She also said that next month she was going to fly in and visit for a few   
days. He was looking forward to introducing her to all of his friends.  
  
Someone knocked on the door and before he could get up to answer it Mom was already coming   
from the kitchen to get it. Lucas was surprised to see to police detectives enter the house.  
  
"Hi ma'am, we're sorry to bother you but we needed to talk with you. Something has happened in   
the case and we wanted to break it to you before you heard it on the news."  
  
"Please come in," Kristin said, "Officer…."  
  
"Oh, that's um Detective Mathers and this is Detective McCoy."  
  
"Yes, let me just get Nathan. Have a seat," Kristin told them. She quickly left the room.  
  
"So, how are you feeling?" Detective Mathers asked.  
  
"I'm doing okay," Lucas replied. He looked over to see his Dad enter the room with Mom.   
  
Nathan shook the officers hands. "Hello," he said, "what's happened." He sat down next to Lucas   
on the sofa.  
  
"Well, early this morning the body of Cynthia Wolenczak was found at a camp ground in West   
Virginia," Detective McCoy said.  
  
"Body?" Nathan asked.  
  
"Yes, she had been murdered. Someone strangled her."  
  
"Dirk," Lucas said.  
  
"We don't know that just yet. We've yet to find him. We had someone look into what you asked,   
and sure enough, Mrs. Wolenczak had visited Lawrence twice just weeks before the kidnapping.   
Unfortunately, his swears he had no idea what she had been planning to do, and it's not like she can   
contradict him."  
  
"He killed her to keep her quiet, just like Grandma," Lucas said. He felt his Dad put an arm   
around him.  
  
"That's what we think to, but without proof we can't do anything. We can't even use this to make   
him serve his whole prison term of twelve years."  
  
"We found this in her possession," Detective Mathers said. He pulled out a video tape and handed   
it to Nathan. "We've watched it and there's nothing we can use in it, but we thought you might like to have   
it. It appears that she had been watching all of you for a while."  
  
"What?" Kristin gasped.  
  
"Just watch the tape, you'll see."  
  
With that the two detectives stood up and left, Kristin closing the door behind him. Nathan stood   
up and turned off Lucas' movie and put in the tape. He hit play and then sat down with Lucas and Kristin.   
  
They were surprised to see themselves. The tape was a little over an hour long showing them going about   
their daily lives, looking content and happy.   
  
"I think I understand why your mother took you," Kristin said when the tape was over.  
  
"Why?" Lucas asked.  
  
"She finally understood the wonderful thing that she was missing out on. I think your mother saw   
us and suddenly wanted back what she had lost."  
  
"But it was too late," Lucas said. "Sometimes no matter how much you might want to you can't   
go back."  
  
"No, sometimes you can't," Kristin agreed.   
  
Lucas stretched out across the sofa resting his head on Kristin's lap and smiled as she began to   
play with his hair. He was sorry that Cynthia had been killed, and he was surprised to find that she really   
had wanted to be a mother to him again, but honestly, he was glad to be home. Home with his Mom and   
Dad who loved him more than anything. This was where he belonged. His past was just that, the past.  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
